What Can I Do TODAY?

"Real generosity toward the future lies in giving all to the present."
—Albert Camus

"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." --Luke 6:38


"In the movie 'Pay It Forward,' the concept of doing something good for someone else is presented in an unusual way. The idea is that when someone does something for you, instead of thanking them or repaying them, you 'pay it forward' by doing something good for someone else. In the movie, this kindness is usually done to complete strangers: a young reporter whose car is totaled is given a car by a stranger who had two. A homeless person who had been helped by someone saves a woman about to jump from a bridge. It is interesting to see the chain of goodness wind through the story. Some of the characters that pay it forward find themselves on the receiving end of someone else paying it forward.

"The above verse may be loosely paraphrased as 'pay it forward.' I have found this concept to be a good way to deal with the spirit of greed. When we have been especially helpful to someone, we may secretly hope to be rewarded in some way.

"However, if I adopt the spirit of paying it forward, then I let go of the desire to be thanked and rest in knowing that someone else down the line will benefit from the goodness I have shared."
--Valerie E. Hess, from "Spiritual Disciplines Devotional: a year of readings"

Carpe diem. Seize the day. We often think of these words when we want something, or when we are having a hard time getting up the nerve to do something for ourselves... What if we thought of this phrase when we were thinking about giving more of ourselves or our resources?

I'm going to look for some chances to do a Random Act of Kindness or two, today... If you're able to do one, please let us know! I'd love to hear (or read) your story!