by Victoria Heinecke

No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“We love because he first loved us.”
1 John 4:19 English Standard Version (ESV)

“Pay it forward.” It’s a term coined to describe an act of kindness performed by a person because an act of kindness was done for them. Recently I was downtown and went back to my car to refill the parking meter, and I realized someone had put a few coins in the meter for me.

I hadn’t earned it, and I definitely didn’t deserve it more than someone else. However, I was thankful that I wasn’t going to receive a parking ticket that day!

What was my response to this random kindness? Nothing, that day.

A couple of years ago, I changed one of my conversational responses when I went shopping. When someone said, “Have a nice day,” I replied, “Thanks, I hope you have a good day too.” It felt more intentional than the customary reply, “You, too.” It was interesting to see a positive facial expression in response to a personal reply. Perhaps, one person may have paid it forward by smiling and making eye contact with another.

God loves the world so much that he sent his son to redeem us from the consequences of our sins. It’s the ultimate act of love.

We can live our lives in the assurance that God’s grace is bigger than any blunder we can make.

But how do we pay God’s grace forward?

“And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you (fed, clothed, welcomed) one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’”
Matthew 25:40 English Standard Version

We can’t possibly give as much grace as God gives us, but we can live our lives with a peace and kindness that gets us out of the way. Inner peace lets God’s love shine through us.

Be kind.

Be compassionate.

Be aware that we are all God’s beloved.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado