Pay It Forward
This is a beautiful view from my friends Mike and Jackie’s Lake house. I recently received a gift from them to stay at their home while they were on vacation, to enjoy the views, the water and the tranquility. They know how much I love being by the water. I knew it was a pay-it-forward moment. They always give to others through their time, finances, helping in their community….whatever the need, they are always there. Why, because they were blessed by someone else’s pay-it-forward gesture!
Proverbs 3:27— "Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act."
“Pay it Forward” is an expression that describes the concept of repaying a good deed to others instead of the original benefactor.
Mark your calendars—every year on April 28th it is Global Pay It Forward Day. This is a day which encourages people around the world to engage in small acts of kindness.
There is a Pay It Forward Foundation, founded by the author Catherine Ryan Hyde. The website reads, “The philosophy of Pay It Forward is that through acts of kindness among strangers, we all foster a more caring society.”
Many years ago when I was struggling financial to put myself through college, I had an opportunity to live with a family from my church. I did not pay rent and food was provided! I did chores around the house as a way to give back to them. The mother ran a daycare from the home so there was plenty to clean up daily. Fast forward many years, I had the opportunity to pay it forward by going on several mission trips to other countries, where I helped build churches, worked side-by-side with the nationals on projects, evangelism trips and so on. It was one way for me to pay it forward and take it around the world.
The way you pay it forward may look completely different from how the gift was first given to you. And that is okay, in fact — that is awesome. Before long, those pay-it-forward moments will become contagious. As you find ways to pay it forward, others will start following your lead. It is a win/win for everyone.
Pay It Forward: Reap What You Sow
Great Way to Boost Dopamine - It’s scientifically proven that people who give back are happier. Helping others gives you an instant feeling of happiness and by acknowledging that someone’s life just got better…your “happy hormones” increase. The feel-good trifecta starts to act as you give—dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin, the hormones that take care of your mood and feelings.
Create A Chain Reaction -There is an energy of positivity that starts to flow. When others see how happy you feel after helping someone, they become more prone to doing the same thing. Just like laughter is contagious, so is paying it forward.
You Find Meaning - “Loving rather than being loved,” a saying by Aristotle. Helping someone else who can’t pay you back is selfless. You will find more meaning in your space and you will start showing up differently, too, every day.
I See You and I Hear You – When you pay it forward, the recipient has the opportunity or a moment in time knowing someone saw them, someone heard them. That someone is you. Your act of kindness may be the encouragement they need to know God heard their prayer. It is a game changer.
Here’s To Your Health -Studies show that giving is associated with lower blood pressure, higher self-esteem, less depression, and lower stress levels. Pay it forward can reduce levels of stress. Studies have found that people who show kindness and concern for others had a 23% lower level of cortisol.
It Becomes Second Nature - If you think of compassion like a muscle, every time you pay it forward, it stretches the muscle a little bit more, and your pay-it-forward moments become second nature. Science shows that it can actually become an instinct to respond to others in a helpful, kind and compassionate way.
Make It A Habit – Schedule pay-it-forward moments into your daily routines. We all need someone at different times of our lives. It’s up to us to act when the opportunity presents itself.
“The thankful heart opens our eyes to a multitude of blessings that continually surround us.” – James E. Faust
PAY IT FORWARD TIPS
Pay for the person behind you in line… their coffee or drive through order
Tip more than usual
Spend time with someone (even if they’re not your cup of tea)
Donate clothes to a shelter
Send flowers anonymously
Complete a chore for a family member without them asking
Write a handwritten ‘thank you’ note to someone you appreciate
Buy a meal for someone in need
Buy extra groceries for a single parent or elderly neighbor
Spend a weekend with Habitat for Humanity
Go on a missions trip…anywhere!
Let someone go ahead of you in line
Pay for a kid to go to camp
Be creative and have fun paying it forward!
Philippians 2:4 — "Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."