A few days ago I went in to prepay for some gas; I always tend to pump more than I wanted. I stood there in line with my money and waited. When I got up to the register I had forgotten which pump my car was at. I'd like to call this short term memory loss but probably my mind used this patch of time to collect some other task. As I looked out to double check the pump number I turned to the cashier and commented something about making sure I had it on the right pump. He nodded, I jokingly replied, "Although I am sure the next guy would appreciate it if I put it on the wrong pump". I heard the young man behind the register utter a profound statement. His words rang clearly as he said, "Probably not". At this point I was the one nodding and went on about my business. I kept hearing these words though out the day and over the weekend. I pondered if someone would really appreciate this mishap if it occurred. I toyed with going and just leaving a prepaid amount on a pump and stalking the next guy who showed up but this of course (in my mind anyway) proved a bit tedious and creepy. So I spent the last few days people watching if you will on my own. Some of this was easy as the "test units" were all to obvious to spot, other times not so much. I came to a disturbing observation. Most of us don't appreciate what we have, where we are at in life or how we got there. We see this most often new babies who at their most infantile stage in life simply want what they want without the ability to care how it got there. We see this in older children and teens who want what they see or what their friends have without regard to who worked hard to provide it, often times being more than ungracious when their whims are not met. Teens and young adults do you think about how possible the things you have would be without your parents, and God? Most uncomfortable is when we see it in adults who are with out care or concern over who provided for them. I know most adults reading this are thinking well, "I provide for myself". Do you really? Oh sure most of us work bring home the bacon and fry it up and then watch our lives revolve around us. Do we ever look around at who enables us to to accomplish this? The little guy who buys our products, the co worker that prepared the spread sheets, the boss who employed us, our parents, the farmer who grew our food or even the person who might if we were in dire straights supply the food pantry. How about the rain that waters the crops, our health that allows us to go to our jobs and our family & friends who support guide and hold our hands when we can't always do for ourselves. These things and people are all part of who makes us who we are and able to provide for ourselves. We can not control what they provide or how they provide it. We frequently don't even care; we just want. We want the clothes, the car, the event, the toys, or the free gas and we are entitled to it. We live in a society of entitlement and it is hard to separate the; "I deserve this" from the "I am in awe of God's abundance". If I had left the gas pump with a free fill up would the next person really have appreciated it or would they have just taken without giving thanks? I really don't know. I would like to think we live in a "pay it forward" society but alas I have discovered we don't. It would be nice to see Gods mercy at work and find the guy at the pump with the free gas buying the next guy's gas or dropping off a donation at the food pantry or even taking a friend to lunch that might need a break. Heck, I would be in awe if the guy with the free gas even offered a cup of coffee to someone. Would he stop to even pray a word of thanks if the cash he didn't need to spend on gas was needed in his own life? If his need was met would he reach out to another. It is nice to know however that there is one person who always plays by the "pay it forward" rules. What a great man he is. Thank you God for all that I have and am. I am not sure we say thank you enough and really mean it. For ALL that we have is from you and part of your plan. Today if you read this, try paying it forward and saying or showing gratitude to those around you and to HIM.
Copyright © 2011-2012 Micheline Edwards
All rights reserved to by Micheline Edwards
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