Let's live a life of gratitude, from giving back to passing on the favor
- Megan and Justin Evergarden
- Apr 9
- 3 min read
To give gratitude for the grace you received from someone to someone else, not to the person who gave it—this is called "paying it forward" as opposed to "repaying a favor." In English, it is called "pay it forward." In other words, "pay it forward." ... Zacchaeus received abundant love from Jesus and "pays it forward" to the poor and the victims of his own injustice. ... We too should be grateful for God's great love, respond to it, and turn that joy into love and "pay it forward" to someone else.
"But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, 'Lord, I will give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay him back four times as much.'" Luke 19:8
The Hated Zacchaeus and the Mercy of the Lord Jesus ChristZacchaeus was hated by the people because of his job as a tax collector for the Roman Empire. He also had a complex about his short stature, and his heart was quite depleted. However, Jesus spoke to him kindly and showered His love on him generously.
Jesus called out the name of Zacchaeus, a man who had never been called by anyone else's name: "Zacchaeus, Zacchaeus, Zacchaeus!" It is said that a name is the sweetest word to a person's ears.
Jesus also decided to stay at the home of Zacchaeus, who had never been visited by anyone. Doesn't this symbolize that Jesus entered the room of Zacchaeus' heart? The love and grace of Jesus Christ were poured out generously into Zacchaeus' thirsty heart.
Therefore, Zacchaeus' heart was filled, and he was changed. These are the words of Zacchaeus: "Lord, I will give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone out of anything, I will give back four times as much." From the stealer to the giver, from the robber to the giver.
But just stop and think for a moment. Who was Zacchaeus filled by, who loved him, and who saved him? Needless to say, it was the Lord Jesus Christ. However, far from showing his gratitude to the Lord Jesus, Zacchaeus offers to give half of his possessions to the poor and to pay four times as much compensation to the victims of injustice. In other words, Zacchaeus does not directly express his gratitude for the Lord's love and salvation to the Lord Jesus but rather directs it toward the poor and those he has deceived.
Passing on the favor Giving back, a life of gratitude This is called on-suri (paying back a favor). In English, it is called "paying it forward." In other words, it means to pay it forward in advance. It means to offer the gratitude for the favor you received from someone to someone else, not to the person who gave it to you.
About 35 years ago, when I was studying abroad in the United States, I went to a coffee shop and tried to pay for my coffee at the register, but the cashier said that I didn't need to pay because the customer a few customers before me had already paid for my coffee before leaving. Perhaps something good had happened to the person who paid for it, and they were "paying it forward"—passing on their gratitude and overflowing joy. I was the recipient of that benefit.
Why don't you also be grateful for God's love, respond to it, and turn that joy into love and pass it on to someone else?
May God's peace be abundantly upon you.
Shalom!
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