6/18/15
You probably will remember the movie from a while back called Pass It Forward. A Junior High School student came up with a unique project that would affect other people. His project directed that the students would do good work and helpful things for others and when they were thanked by the person who benefited by the good deed the students would explain to them the value of passing it forward to someone else. It was as if it started a wave of good will and helpful things that radiated out from the student who did it. It is a lovely concept.
Our church is visited by a Messianic Rabbi from Dallas about once a year.He is a delightful person, interesting and very energetic person who is involved in many ventures. To give you an idea he is connected to several colleges and universities where he teaches Bible class and the fact that Jesus was indeed the promised Messiah that the chosen people had been waiting for and missed the understanding of who He was. On a more mundane level he is a policeman for the Dallas Police Department.
You are probably asking, "Corinne, what does all that biographical information have to do with "paying it forward?" I plan to tell you about something Rabbi Jeff said when he was last at our church. It was a story from his policeman experiences. He never mentioned pay it forward. However, what he said reminded me of that concept.
Rabbi Jeff was talking about how he conducts a pull over for driving fast or for some other infraction. He said he rarely issues a ticket. Basically when he does it is because of a rude argumentative attidude. He does walk up to the car and do all the regular things police do. When he goes back he hands back the license and proceeds to discuss the infraction and gives a little talk about the expected behavior he has from this driver in the future. Then he tells the driver that he feels that God has given him a lot of breaks when he has messed up. He tells them that he will not be issuing a ticket, because he wants to do as God has done to him. Then Rabbi Jeff gets into his car and drives away.
Another name for this act could be forgiveness, and forgiveness benefits the one who forgives or pays it forward.
Lord, thank You for all the times You have paid me by your forgiveness that you have given me that I did not deserve. Help me to always look more softly at people who have offended or hurt me. May I always be willing to pass forward the gifts that you give to me to others who may have hurt me. Amen.
Written by
Corinne Mustafa
You probably will remember the movie from a while back called Pass It Forward. A Junior High School student came up with a unique project that would affect other people. His project directed that the students would do good work and helpful things for others and when they were thanked by the person who benefited by the good deed the students would explain to them the value of passing it forward to someone else. It was as if it started a wave of good will and helpful things that radiated out from the student who did it. It is a lovely concept.
Our church is visited by a Messianic Rabbi from Dallas about once a year.He is a delightful person, interesting and very energetic person who is involved in many ventures. To give you an idea he is connected to several colleges and universities where he teaches Bible class and the fact that Jesus was indeed the promised Messiah that the chosen people had been waiting for and missed the understanding of who He was. On a more mundane level he is a policeman for the Dallas Police Department.
You are probably asking, "Corinne, what does all that biographical information have to do with "paying it forward?" I plan to tell you about something Rabbi Jeff said when he was last at our church. It was a story from his policeman experiences. He never mentioned pay it forward. However, what he said reminded me of that concept.
Another name for this act could be forgiveness, and forgiveness benefits the one who forgives or pays it forward.
Be gentle and ready to forgive; never hold grudges.
Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.
Colossians 3:13
Colossians 3:13
Lord, thank You for all the times You have paid me by your forgiveness that you have given me that I did not deserve. Help me to always look more softly at people who have offended or hurt me. May I always be willing to pass forward the gifts that you give to me to others who may have hurt me. Amen.
Written by
Corinne Mustafa
Whether it is passing something special received to another or the simple act of forgiveness God expects us to be the kind of person to others that He is to us.
ReplyDeleteGod bless...