Did you know the "concept" of paying it forward has been around for over 40 years.
When I was a kid an elderly man would stop and help someone on the road with car problems. The person would want to pay him and he would say "You can pay me by helping someone else in need someday." I watched this man do this several times.
Someday would come within in a week or so and the person who had been helped would help someone else. When asked why? Because they were asked to do so by this elderly man who had helped them.
After a time it got to where it seemed you heard about someone helping out strangers for no reason even if they had not been asked to do so.
Why? People would say: "Jesus expects it of me." or "I may need help someday and I would want someone willing to help me."
Anyway it was really cool to watch how Goodness made it's rounds for about 5 years before it tapered off after my Great Uncle Ralph's health stopped him from fixing cars, changing tires and doing all kinds of other helpful things.
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I ran into this concept again when I was 19. Not one but several elders in our congregation would help fix peoples cars, change tires, paint houses, do minor construction work for those who could not afford to hire someone to do these things.
People would offer to make payments. What did they say? "When you have the chance to help someone else, do so. That will be my payment."
The guy my sister had started dating, rode a motorcycle. He asked my sister for a $1.00 to put gas in it. She said "I thought you had $20" "I did, but this morning I met someone who needed gas in their car so I gave him my $20" She asked "When is he going to pay you back?" "He's not, I don't even know his name. I just told him to help someone else out some time."
Why? "Jesus expects me to." or "Someone helped me once." or "I hope that someone would help me if I needed it sometime in the future."
It seems my whole life I have been surrounded by really good people. What a blessing for me and for those whose lifes they have touched.
Vel
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2 comments:
This situation of helping has happened to me as well. The person was just there at my time of need and would not take payment but said to pass the favor on.
The one thing how this kindness differs from programs on the internet is that kindness is not advertised and made available for all to join in. Programs that use this story as a draw are considered as 'gifting' programs and are illegal.
The issue is don't advertise your kindness, just do it. Otherwise people are lured by the gifting idea.
This is my kindness to help those not to be lured into illegal gifting programs. Pass on the favor and consider me "Paid In Full".
Kenneth R Sword Jr
Thank you Kenneth. To be honest I was shocked to see people making money from this type of kindness.
I know it is a big draw but there are all kinds of internet businesses out there who teach their new people how to get along in an internet business and expect them to pass on that knowledge to their new people. Why? Because they know 90% of people trying to do business on the internet don't really know what they are doing. If they are to be successful they need to teach the people who sign up under them. This is just plain good business and not really kindness.
Vel
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