FROM THE PASTOR
December 17, 2017
Connie was at Chic-fill-a a few weeks ago in Portage. If you’ve been there, you know that there are two parallel order lanes that merge into one lane after you place your order. Connie shared that she and a lady in the lane beside her, both left the order stations at the same time and the lady waved Connie through. It was at that point that God laid on Connie’s heart to reward the gift of kindness by paying the lady’s food bill. This is often referred to as “paying-it-forward”.
I wonder hw many Christians recognize that we are on a 24 hr. per day, 365 day a year, life-long pay-it-forward journey for Christ? The very nature of God and the example He provides demands our attention to this simply fact. In fact, it’s the one act of reflecting Christ that requires no special spiritual gifts or training and really no special effort except obedience. We just act on the knowledge that Christ has already paid-it-forward for us and we need to do the same for someone else.
That is exactly what’s meant as Jesus reminds His followers…
Matthew 6:19-21 (NASB)
19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
20 "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;
21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
The world is full of hurting people and families and I know its impossible for any one single person to help every single one of them. What’s important though, is that we respond sensitively to God’s leading and help those whom He places on our hearts at the time it’s placed there.
This is especially important that we remember this all year around but, what about this time of the year when we celebrate the birth of the ultimate pay-it-forward transaction in all of history.
Thank You for your faithfulness!
Pastor Larry
