The other day
Chris and I were walking through a parking lot to a Starbucks when this guy out on the side walk starts running to the bus stop to catch the bus there. When he started to run he didn't notice that he had dropped something out of his backpack. I couldn't tell what it was, but Chris noticed right away that it was the guys keys. Chris said, "He's gonna want those" and ran to them, picked them up, and ran them over to the guy at the bus stop. While I stood there with Liam waiting for Chris to return, a woman was walking up and said to me, "Oh, that's so good to see. That's so great. That's so good. Pay it forward. Pay it forward." Then she went over to Chris and said the same thing.
I was thinking, "Pay it forward? What the heck does that mean?" I asked Chris and he said it had to do with karma. Then he got a little bit upset and said what he had done had nothing to do with karma (duh). In fact, he didn't even think, "If I dropped my keys, I would want someone to grab them for me, so I should get them for that guy." He just knew it was the right thing to do. That guy dropped his keys and he would have never known where he dropped them. Chris thought, "He dropped his keys and he needs them. I can help him."
So often I feel like we only act if we feel we will get something out if it. That's so sad. Our motivation is often, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." How is that really different than karma? Shouldn't our motivation be Love, always? Just Love. That's it. That's all the motivation we need.
(I love my husband and what God is doing with him.)
9 comments:
I just started a great class this morning called Discipleship and Ethics. It's not about discipleship in the Evangelical sense (mentoring), but about how Christians make choices and how to make right choices out of right thinking about the kingdom.
We talked about different models for decision making, and your scenario totally fits into the conversation. Chris' choice reflects an integrated ethical code, not a superimposed list of rules.
Isn't it interesting that just being nice is so...suspectable? Is that a word? Everyone, including me I'm afraid, figures if someone is just plain nice there must be some ulterior motive behind it. And yet, I think I'm nice just to be nice. Hmmm
That's true Cathy. I very much suspect the motives of someone who seems too nice. Why are they acting like that? What do they want from me? Wow. That's sad.
And Amy, let me tell you how I am looking forward to seminary. My Intro to Counseling teacher took the class through a Buddhist meditation for our first class to relax everyone. I sat there praying the whole time. It will be a challenge to let it all flow off my back.
Everyone can keep me in prayer please!
Uh...Why were you meditating in an Intro to Counseling class? Seems odd. What about the whole idea of not having religion and school mix? I mean isn't that true for college as well? Hmmm...Odd. And, are you going to seminary, or am I just confused. (Wouldn't be the first time. ;))
Oh, and one more thing....(and btw, I'm not disputing anything), but...Maybe that lady didn't know what else to say. She was probably just trying to be nice, and just fumbled her words? I know that when I mean something, most times soemthing stupid will come out of my mouth instead of what I really wanted to say. I read this the other day when you posted it, and had to think about it. I mean I would have been confused by what she said as well. In fact, I even spoke to Shawn about it. Because really, what does Pay it Forward mean? The idea of karma never occurred to me, but then again, I don't believe in karma...So there ya go! ;) Anyway...I'm just rambling now.
Apparently my Counseling teacher is into meditation and uses it with her clients and her classes...
As for seminary, it is in my plans to go. I just don't know if it will be in the Spring, Summer, or Fall yet. I will be deciding very soon. Keep me in your prayers for that please.
I took a class called "Cultural Aspects of Child Rearing" at Fresno State (sometime prior to 1995). The professor wanted our class sessions to be "group therapy." I hated that class. It was totally inappropriate, but I didn't have the experience to know how wrong it was.
I am really glad that I chose the seminary for my counseling education, not because I'm planning for a career that will use explicitly Christian interventions with every client, but because the program is thoroughly concerned with our discipleship as much as our technical skill.
"Pay it Forward"... This is also the title of a movie with Haley Joel Osment and Kevin Spacey. VERY VERY powerful movie. It's a true story about a boy, who started this whole chain reaction by doing selfless acts for 3 people, and then asking them to "pay it forward". If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend watching it.
i'm so in agreement of this. gheez! if people just did the right thing, even though, it might be the most painful or even inconvenient thing to do, life would be a pretty cool place to be. others watching our backs.
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