Contagious love

Sam once shared this story with me, and I really liked it, so I thought I'd share it with you.

Over the summer, there was a story on the news about someone getting coffee at a Tim Horton's drive through. That someone decided to be nice, and buy the coffee for the car behind them. The car behind ended up getting coffee for the person behind them too, probably out of gratitude or because they were expecting to pay the dollar something anyway. And this went on for over an hour that morning. Isn't that cool?

Besides the fact that it's a nice story, it reminds me of a simple fact. When you receive something you don't deserve, it feels good and it is contagious. We all know this feeling. In fact, this is the very idea that Jesus taught us about why we must love. In 1 John 4:19 it says "We love because he first loved us."

We don't love out of obligation, but we love others out of the overflow and gratitude we have because of what Jesus did for us. When is the last time you did something out of this overflow for no reason at all? Or perhaps another question to ask is have you been refreshed and filled up by God enough lately that you have an overflow to give from?

Especially as a volunteer at TC, there will be many people attending who have never experienced what God's love looks or feels like. As people who have experienced it first hand and who want to make a difference in these people's lives, "let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." (Hebrews 10:24)

*rebecca

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We live in a world where everything is becoming individualistic. We all have our own cell phones, when we enter the subway, everyone has their own iPod, and our city has smog issues because everyone drives their own cars. I find it ironic (I admit I'm part of the problem too) that during the busiest time in rush hour, the carpool lane is almost always empty and that authorities make so much money catching individuals trying to drive in it in order to pass other cars!

I feel that we live in a society that encourages a selfish lifestyle. We have gotten so good at getting anything we want anytime we want at a good price. We are so spoiled that we feel that having our way is a right rather than a privilege. Rather than being thankful, we become greedy.

A while back, I stayed late at work to finish a project. Everyone had already left the office except one co-worker who knew I was behind and decided to stay and help me. We finished and I drove him home. When we arrived at his place, I thanked him for helping me and he smiled and said 'cool man - no big deal'. At that moment, I thought to myself 'IT IS A BIG DEAL!' He chose to give up his time in order to help me and asked for nothing in return. I suddenly saw that in this crazy world of selfishness where we are told to look out for #1, whenever anyone goes outside of that realm to do any good deed with good intentions, it affects everyone else around them and has such a huge positive impact.

I learned that night how much the power of God truly resides in us being the light of the world.

'You are the light of the world.
A city on a hill cannot be hidden
nor would you light a lamp and put it under a bowl
but on a lampstand that it may give light
to all who are in the house.
In the same manner, let your light shine before men
that they may see your good works
and give glory to your Father in heaven.' - Matt 5

*sam