“I’m paying it forward,” she said as she walked into our foodbank.
Shiela had been coming to the church for some months for help after she had gotten into debt. Every week she would come to us for support, care and a food parcel for her family.
It had been some time since we had seen her. We had understood that her situation had improved and that she was back on her feet, so I had a heavy heart when I saw her walking back up the steps to our building that day.
But this time she did not come with empty bags ready to be filled with donation. This time she arrived with shopping bags heavy-laden with tins and dry goods. “I’m paying it forward,” she announced. “I want to make a donation!”
Shiela was perhaps uniquely placed to understand the power of those words for she had received the power of someone else’s generosity when she had most needed it.
There’s a powerful Biblical backing to this. The Psalms teach us to offer comfort from the comfort we have received. Jesus taught us to love our neighbours as ourselves and Paul taught us to give generously to those around us.
When have you been recipients of someone else’s generosity? Financial, practical or pastoral? Can we in this season of Easter – the ultimately generous sacrifice – be challenged to give in the way we have received?
If we’ve received generosity, we are, like Shiela, uniquely placed to understand the power of generosity and glorify God as we ‘pay it forward’.
Jo Moir
Head of Spring Harvest
Reflect
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
John 13.34-35
Pray
- Pray for chances to share God’s love through your words and actions.
- Ask God to fill your heart with kindness, patience and courage to speak about Jesus.
- Thank Him for the people who helped you learn about His love.
Act
A generosity challenge for you to complete today:
| Think about what Jesus gave up on the road to the cross - comfort, control, safety. Today, mirror that surrender in a small but costly way.Give something that matters to you: an hour’s wage, your rainy-day pot or that item you’ve had in your online shopping basket for weeks. Not necessarily what’s easy to spare, but something that you’ll feel.Let it be quiet. Let it be sacrificial. Let it be worship. |
About Spring Harvest
Spring Harvest creates spaces for all ages to encounter Jesus and grow in faith, most notably through its annual Easter event where many take significant steps in following Him.
Through financial and practical support, digital innovation and community grants, Spring Harvest removes barriers to encountering God and equips local churches to serve their communities throughout the year.
