Paying it Forward...


Working in retail, I have come to appreciate those wonderful customers who dig deep down into their pockets or purses to provide me with change. I don't care if there's a line of 50 people behind them, I will wait all day for that pretty little penny, so as not to give up 4 of my precious pennies out of the drawer! (As referenced to on my April 16th post, I do not enjoy my visits to the bank, to get change for the week.)

So today, after 12 years of asking for change, I finally thought to actually put out a little 'change dish'... you know, the community pot sort of thing. People who don't want to mess with the change putting it in for those who just lack a coin or two later down the line. Already, after just one day of having it out... there was like 73 cents in it! That's pretty good, I think! Just in the number of people willing to share their 'surplus' change. (Now, I just need to get the girls who work with me to actually encourage those without change to use the change dish!)

Maybe I'm a bit sentimental, but I think you can even get a sense of community out of that simple little dish. A very insignificant thing, I realize, but think about it: one guy throwing his loose change in there in the morning, for a lady who can then use it for her purchase a couple of hours later. And I get to be the one who 'mediates' - the one who says "Here you go... don't worry about it! We had someone who had some extra and you are welcome to use that!"

And, you know, it makes me realize one of the numerous benefits of being a Christian with a great network of other believers. Much in the spirit of that simple 'change dish', I have seen countless Christians eagerly sharing their 'extra blessings' in the off-chance that there is somebody else down the line who needs to share in that blessing. And I can just see God as the Mediator - saying "Here you go... don't worry about it! I've got someone who incidently has some extra (encouragement, good cheer, wisdom, hope...) who would LOVE to share and you are welcome to use that!"

Thank God for all our brothers and sisters in Christ who always seem to know just what we need to collect from that 'dish' and just when we need it most!