Introduction
I remember one time in college when I was short of cash, and a couple of friends of mine offered to treat me for lunch. We were in Session Road, where there were a lot of restaurants. I was pretty much under the mercy of these friends of mine when it came to deciding where to eat. Now, at the time there was the more budget-friendly steak place called Steaks and Toppings, but for some reason they chose the higher-end Sizzling Plate.
We finished our lunch, and, I don’t know, maybe out of reflex, or maybe out of the fact that they chose a more expensive restaurant, I told the one particular friend who footed the bill that I would pay her back. She looked at me like I just said the most awkward words for that particular time… and it took our other friend to tell me, to remind me that this was a treat. It was a gift. That for me to even offer to pay back was an insult.
And this really happened, by the way. You’d think that this was something out of a Middle-Eastern recalling of events, but this happened here. In the Philippines. Since then I shrugged off the incident and went on with my life, not knowing that there was a question I had all that time – What should I do if I’m not supposed to pay it back?
I’m not sure if I’m the only one who experienced this, but some of my best friends were once my worst enemies. One such best friend was a workmate I had back when I worked in a call center. I probably considered him an enemy because his reputation preceded him – He was said to more obnoxious than any irate customers we would have, and he was known to be hard on the agents he supervised.
I was eventually assigned to a support role for his team of agents, which meant that I would inevitably work with him. And in the process of realizing we had the wrong first impressions about each other, and support and leadership worked as a team, we eventually became good friends – we used to share comedy central clips to our email distros, and now we share memes in our group chat.
Of course, it wasn’t just standup comedy and memes that we shared in the group. When we got serious we had no qualms duking it out with each other regarding processes and principles, and if we weren’t laughing at common jokes, we were fuming at each other from philosophical discussions – but we would always end with a lesson learned.
My overall theme for the month of October would be derived from my good friend’s advice. It was a personal motto of his that he passed on to us, which I didn’t realize was one answer to the question I had in Sizzling Plate years before.
What should I do if I’m not supposed to pay it back? I won’t forget what Andrei said – simply, ‘Pay it forward’.
The way I understood this is that you honor something that was given to you, you honor who gave it you by giving to others. So, say, I give you money and you offer to pay it back; if I say ‘pay it forward’, I’m saying you can pay me back by giving someone else the money when they need it, just as you needed it. And as you’ve been given a blessing, so bless others – I believe this is the best way for someone to appreciate both the specific blessing received, and the one who gave the blessing.
Below is an outline of everything we will be covering for the month of October:
As you have been given, so give to others. Pay It Forward.
Verses we’ll go through:
There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.
Proverbs 11:24 (KJV)
Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.
But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
(As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.
Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)
2 Corinthians 9:5-10 (KJV)
Points to consider:
(Proverbs)
The more you give, the more you get.
The more you keep, the more you lose.
(Corinthians)
The more you got, the more you give.
Baon (Things to think about over the weekend):
What has God given you in so much abundance that you can give to help others?
Experience? Resources? Extra Rice? Pray for God to confirm what you have.
Final Thoughts:
I’m thinking of giving just as Mr. Beast would give, and on that note, I’m lining up his talk with Andrew Schutz just to see how he operates.
You don’t give to get fruit, you give because you have too much fruit!
As you have been loved, so love others. Pay It Forward.
Verses we’ll go through:
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord:
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
Deuteronomy 6:4-7 (KJV)
Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
John 13:33-35 (KJV)
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
1 John 4:10 (KJV)
Points to consider:
The Bad News: You can try to love God on your own, but it’ll never be enough.
The Good News: God loves you with all His heart, with all His soul, and with all His might.
Baon (Things to think about over the weekend):
God loved you so much that He gave His only begotten Son.
Let Him embrace you and remind you of His love for you.
Final Thoughts:
Not merely those who are lovable in your eyes, but you show love to everyone else. And it’s not necessarily the love they expect, but surely the best you can give.
As you have been forgiven, so you are able to forgive others. Pay It Forward.
Verses to think about:
And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.
And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
Give us day by day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
Luke 11:1-4 (KJV)
Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
Matthew 18:21-22 (KJV)
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Colossians 3:12-13 (KJV)
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Ephesians 4:31-32 (KJV)
Points to consider:
You can only forgive as far as you think you have been forgiven.
Only by realizing God forgave you of everything can you truly forgive.
Questions to answer:
Has anyone hurt you? Are you having trouble forgiving someone? Ask the Lord to remind you of just how much you have been forgiven.
Final Thoughts:
Just as Christ forgave me, so I have been able to forgive those who have cheated on me, cheated me or my family, or downright hurt me.
As you have been encouraged, so encourage others. Pay It Forward.
Verses to think about:
(note: I noticed I started with the New Testament this time)
Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (KJV)
And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the Lord hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it. And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.
Deuteronomy 31:7-8 (KJV)
But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
Isaiah 43:1-2
Points to consider:
We can encourage each other by saying words
God encourages us by literally being with us.
Questions to answer:
Can you recall a time you have been encouraged? How does God encourage you?
Final Thoughts:
If it holds true that if you teach, you learn twice, so if you encourage, you encourage yourself twice.
Just as I am encouraged by Christ through my own brothers in their unique way, so I am able to encourage others.
This should be good for now. Obviously I will be working more on this as we go along this month, and I am already praying, as early as now, for what to talk about for the last 2 months of the year. These are exciting times, indeed. It’s such a blessing to speak to folks younger than me, and to see them encouraged by Christ and the Word. I just pray for the consistency and the commitment, just as Christ has been consistent and fully committed to me.
Until the next post, God bless you.
JB's Personal Brain Defragmenter 
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