Pray It Forward

"Be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil by good" Romans 12:21.
God is optimally good. In our journey here, we are to do our very best in living and modeling our actions so that we emulate "our Father who is perfect in heaven". Some of the building blocks towards that kind of behavior is courtesy, politeness, manners, civility, kindness, and hospitality. When we display these attributes we are beginning to touch the surface in relating to one another in environment of love. Our eyes are opened to the reality of the person we are relating to. Behavior to the contrary is relating to the idea of that person. It is reacting to the negativity, faults, weaknesses, imperfections and disregards their humanity. As a society we have moved some degrees away from what were common practices by all civil peoples. The message that I give to myself and those who know me will attest I fail quite routinely is to be nice to others. Be good to another, sounds alright doesn't it? Something that I have been doing for a while now is to pray for strangers. Here is my pray-it-forward idea. While you are shopping, or eating out, in church, getting gas, etc. and you come across someone in a brief uneventful moment make note of that person and at the opportune time pray for them. Since you don't have a specific request you can ask God to protect them, guide them, give them abundance, touch them, be there for them in their time of need. If I see a young family in church, I may ask God that their faith strengthens and that their children grow up to know and love Him. I may ask that the waitress we met who just started her job does well and that good things happen for her. There are literally countless blessings you can request and our optimally loving Heavenly Father will hear your prayers and you will be doing good for someone else, they without your knowledge and you without knowing what good you've done, but God will know. Try it sometime.