Pay it Forward?

Have you heard the old expression: “It is better to give than to receive”? This saying or proverb originated from the Bible in which Jesus said in Acts 20:35: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Of course, He would know this truth better than anyone. But one might question why giving is more of a blessing than receiving—since the consequence of each looks very different. The act of giving implies that one is losing something, whereas the act of receiving would imply that one is gaining something. However, we can know that giving is more of a blessing, not only because Jesus said it, but also because He demonstrated it. The Bible says: “For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son. God gave his Son so that whoever believes in him may not be lost, but have eternal life.” John 3:16 So God has offered you and me the ultimate blessing of eternal life. It really can not get any better than that! You become blessed when you have received God’s gift of Salvation which is eternal life, also safety from the destruction, danger and great calamity of sin. If you know and have received the truth about Jesus and His sacrificial love for you, then you are truly blessed. Now it’s time to become more blessed by allowing God to work through you in a powerful way. God can empower you to give unselfishly of your time, your treasure (money, possessions), and your talent (skills, abilities, efforts) for the benefit of others. In other words, you are “paying it forward” since it is more blessed to give than to receive.