Do You Give Back or Pay It Forward?
Last time we saw an example of someone who took the profits of her work to "give back." That phrase has been around for a long time. More recently, though, people say they want to "pay it forward." It's really the same idea. Having been the beneficiary of a good deed, or generally enjoying good fortune in your life, you desire to repay in some way what's been given to you. And your efforts to repay are directed not at your original benefactor, but at others.
The example we posted last time perfectly illustrates this. Our individual was grateful for the health of her two children. Whatever or Whoever (ultimately God, of course) was the source of this good fortune, it, he, she, or they were not the object of her efforts to "pay back." She chose to help others, none of whom were from her family, friends, or close circle. She donates a significant percentage of the fruits of her labor - the profits from her company - to a hospital that helps children who don't enjoy the good health of her own children.
This perfectly connects with what Cardinal Wyszynski has been teaching us in Working Your Way into Heaven these last few weeks. The Cardinal, however brings us an even richer version of giving back or paying it forward.
We learned that giving back or paying it forward fulfills an obligation. So it's not really an option to extend our generosity. Even so, our charity is in no way diminished by this reality. When we freely give of ourselves or our substance with love - true Christian charity - we do so without being forced to do so. While this obligation creates a duty in us to give back (or pay it forward), by fulfilling our duty generously, with a loving heart, we accomplish so much more than we do when we simply donate money to a charity, or repay (for example) a legal debt that we owe someone. Looking at the example in our last post, you saw how this person took a personal interest in identifying that organization that would most fully and faithfully address the needs of the children in a generous and loving manner. The money, while critically important, was, in a real sense, a secondary issue. The love that inspired the giving of the money was the more important and better part.
We also learned that simply working diligently and efficiently at our jobs contributes to everyone else in this connected world of ours. So even if our job or profession provides just enough money for us to meet our primary responsibility of supporting our family, our efforts on the job each day benefit not only our boss, our business, our co-workers, our customers, but that benefit accrues to all who come into contact with everyone whom we directly benefit. It's just the way the world works - a kind of a virtuous circle of love that helps to fulfill our Creator's plan for all of His creation.
Now you may be tempted to roll your eyes at what may appear to be an overly-optimistic, even grandiose description of how the world works. Right off the bat, you could point out that some people really don't have the best intentions when they apply themselves to their daily work. Or they take the benefits they accrue from their work and the work of others and, through greed or malice, harm or exploit people. That's all true, of course. Each of us carries the burden of a fallen human nature. Not all of us, unfortunately, understand or accept that the world brings with it a life of struggle in this vale of tears. Rather than struggle ourselves, we take from those who struggle, even causing them harm in the process.
But Cardinal Wyszynski reminds us in the very title of his book, that we all work our way into Heaven - the operative word here being work. And beyond our regular daily labor, it takes even more work to assure that the benefits of our labor serve the common good. For example, we don't finish our day's work and just hang up our spurs until morning. Having diligently and efficiently provided benefits for the common good with our daily labor on the job, we bring the effects of those benefits into the world beyond our place of work: our homes, families, neighbors, friends, strangers, and, most especially, those in need of our help, whether that help be in the form of money, a helping hand, a cheerful demeanor, attention and concern for those in distress, etc.
As for those whose intentions are less than honorable, even these can be the object of our efforts to give back or pay it forward. We realize and accept that the battle between good and evil will never end until Our Lord comes again. Some of those with evil intent may someday be saved, some may not. Our job is to first protect ourselves and our loved ones from such people, even as we pray for the salvation of their souls.
Once we realize we are all God's children, connected in so many ways, no one falls beyond the reach of our love. That love, by God's grace, inspires us to forge ahead each day no matter what the world drops on our plate. In the end, we have God and we have each other. Last Sunday, we read how we are all "swimming in a sea of the bounty and love of God." We can spare some of His bounty and love for others, even our enemies. That's precisely what Our Lord Himself taught us to do. From we who have been given much, much is expected.
Give back, or pay it forward. Either way, you're doing the Lord's work.
The example we posted last time perfectly illustrates this. Our individual was grateful for the health of her two children. Whatever or Whoever (ultimately God, of course) was the source of this good fortune, it, he, she, or they were not the object of her efforts to "pay back." She chose to help others, none of whom were from her family, friends, or close circle. She donates a significant percentage of the fruits of her labor - the profits from her company - to a hospital that helps children who don't enjoy the good health of her own children.
This perfectly connects with what Cardinal Wyszynski has been teaching us in Working Your Way into Heaven these last few weeks. The Cardinal, however brings us an even richer version of giving back or paying it forward.
We learned that giving back or paying it forward fulfills an obligation. So it's not really an option to extend our generosity. Even so, our charity is in no way diminished by this reality. When we freely give of ourselves or our substance with love - true Christian charity - we do so without being forced to do so. While this obligation creates a duty in us to give back (or pay it forward), by fulfilling our duty generously, with a loving heart, we accomplish so much more than we do when we simply donate money to a charity, or repay (for example) a legal debt that we owe someone. Looking at the example in our last post, you saw how this person took a personal interest in identifying that organization that would most fully and faithfully address the needs of the children in a generous and loving manner. The money, while critically important, was, in a real sense, a secondary issue. The love that inspired the giving of the money was the more important and better part.
We also learned that simply working diligently and efficiently at our jobs contributes to everyone else in this connected world of ours. So even if our job or profession provides just enough money for us to meet our primary responsibility of supporting our family, our efforts on the job each day benefit not only our boss, our business, our co-workers, our customers, but that benefit accrues to all who come into contact with everyone whom we directly benefit. It's just the way the world works - a kind of a virtuous circle of love that helps to fulfill our Creator's plan for all of His creation.
Now you may be tempted to roll your eyes at what may appear to be an overly-optimistic, even grandiose description of how the world works. Right off the bat, you could point out that some people really don't have the best intentions when they apply themselves to their daily work. Or they take the benefits they accrue from their work and the work of others and, through greed or malice, harm or exploit people. That's all true, of course. Each of us carries the burden of a fallen human nature. Not all of us, unfortunately, understand or accept that the world brings with it a life of struggle in this vale of tears. Rather than struggle ourselves, we take from those who struggle, even causing them harm in the process.
But Cardinal Wyszynski reminds us in the very title of his book, that we all work our way into Heaven - the operative word here being work. And beyond our regular daily labor, it takes even more work to assure that the benefits of our labor serve the common good. For example, we don't finish our day's work and just hang up our spurs until morning. Having diligently and efficiently provided benefits for the common good with our daily labor on the job, we bring the effects of those benefits into the world beyond our place of work: our homes, families, neighbors, friends, strangers, and, most especially, those in need of our help, whether that help be in the form of money, a helping hand, a cheerful demeanor, attention and concern for those in distress, etc.
As for those whose intentions are less than honorable, even these can be the object of our efforts to give back or pay it forward. We realize and accept that the battle between good and evil will never end until Our Lord comes again. Some of those with evil intent may someday be saved, some may not. Our job is to first protect ourselves and our loved ones from such people, even as we pray for the salvation of their souls.
Once we realize we are all God's children, connected in so many ways, no one falls beyond the reach of our love. That love, by God's grace, inspires us to forge ahead each day no matter what the world drops on our plate. In the end, we have God and we have each other. Last Sunday, we read how we are all "swimming in a sea of the bounty and love of God." We can spare some of His bounty and love for others, even our enemies. That's precisely what Our Lord Himself taught us to do. From we who have been given much, much is expected.
Give back, or pay it forward. Either way, you're doing the Lord's work.
Comments