I just had another one of those drive-thru experiences! I hope you’ve had one yourself. You know the one, where the cashier says, “Your order was paid by the person in front of you. Have a nice day!”
This feels like hitting the lottery! When the cashier’s words sank in, I was touched and naturally wanted to express my appreciation to the kind person in front of me. I suppose you could jump out and run up to their car… but that gets creepy, not to mention you disrupt the whole flow of the “drive through culture,” and you’re setting yourself up for a good horn-lashing. That would be a real buzz-kill, wouldn’t it? The best you can do is wave and hope they see your cheesy grin in their rear-view mirror.
Misty-eyed to be the object of a random act of kindness, I pulled away from the cashier’s window without thinking that I should have instinctively “passed it on.” I was holding a five dollar bill in my hand, but did it occur to me to “pay-it-backwards” and bless the next person in line? Nope!
My blessed blush turned to personal embarrassment as I realized I am not predisposed to pass on kindness. I’m speaking for myself when I say I need to be more “other minded.” I am the constant recipient of blessing and good fortune, yet I do not funnel that same blessing and good fortune toward others. Maybe it’s a guy thing… or maybe it’s just me, but I pray that the Lord would make me more sensitive to the simple things I can do to improve the lives of others.
Lord, dial up my sensitivity to those around me. And please give me another shot at blessing others. Please wake me up when I sleep-walk through those opportunities!
I’m reminded that when I pray for God to give me strength or sensitivity or patience, etc., He doesn’t simply pour that quality into me. Instead He provides me an exercise to strengthen that spiritual muscle within me. For instance, if I ask for patience, He doesn’t just zap me with more patience. His response is, “You want more patience, Ron? OK, here’s a frustrating situation to exercise your patience muscles.”
By the way, if you’re ever ahead of me in the drive-thru (I drive a champagne-colored Grand Prix and wear a cheesy grin), I promise to “pay it backward” next time.
Lord, You are so kind to me in so many ways, and through so many people. Please empower me to not break that chain of blessing.
Read John 7:38
- Jesus is speaking of spiritual life flowing from us, but can you think of what other streams might flow from us?
- Take a moment and consider how you might bless others with that which you’ve been blessed.
- What impact should our belief in Jesus Christ have on the lives of others?
- If you were on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?
Read 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
- Verse 3 uses two unique titles for God. Try using these names in your prayers today to relate to our Father in a new way.
- Be on the lookout for Christlike ways you can share “compassion” and “comfort” with others this week! Heck, why stop there? Do it for the rest of your life!
- The phrase “so that” in Scripture always tells us why. According to verse 4, why does God comfort or bless us?
- Have you ever forgotten to pay it backwards? Is there any way you can right this wrong today?
- Have you received comfort or blessing from someone else recently?
Read Isaiah 40:1-5
- Does it touch you as it does me that the Lord is so concerned with comforting His people?
- The Lord could easily provide this comfort Himself through the power of His Holy Spirit. Why do you think He commands us to do it instead?
- According to verse 2, what message provides the ultimate comfort to others?
- Our small gestures that provide comfort and blessing to others actually pave the way to heaven. How can you “prepare the way for the Lord” in others’ lives today?
- Can you recall a situation when someone else’s kindness helped knock down a mountain or raise up a valley in your life?
- Rather than drawing attention to ourselves, what should be the outcome of our comfort to others (verse 5)?
Read Matthew 15:29-39
- Jesus provided amazing blessings to the crowds (verse 30). What was the outcome (verse 31)?
- Do you have the same reaction to Jesus when you see someone in need (verse 32), or do you respond like the disciples (verse 33)?
- If we fear we won’t have enough if we give away all our “stuff,” what assurance can we take from verse 37?
- What do you think they did with all the baskets of leftover food (verse 27)?