Recently a friend posted this on facebook:
In a Warsaw bar with a friend at the weekend, a complete stranger takes over ordering our drinks from the barman, and then pays for them without saying. He disappears with merely a 'cheers'. Touched by his mysterious and random act of kindness, we do the same for a couple in a café at Sunday brunch, secretly paying their bill and then wishing them a good day on the way out. I wonder if they’ll pass it on?
I love this generosity and the hope of its ripples continuing.
I don't really know where my friend stands with God but as a Christian I see us as all made in God's image. And that our God-likeness just has to get out at times whether we want it too or not, or are aware of it or not. I think it sometimes shows up in such acts of love.
I fear my friend may think I'm imposing my religion on peoples basic human ability to be lovely and maybe I am, after all you certainly don't need to be a Christian to be nice and often in my experience you can be nicer if you're not. But sometimes, to me at least, actions like these can seem even more special than 'just being generous', they're somehow more mystical.
Anyway, all that made me wonder about the Inn Keeper. Who knew Pay It Forward dates back to BC? I wonder how did he feel ending up in the big story of God? Was he looking for the Messiah or not? What made him get involved when he could easily have said no, business was clearly good?
Who knows what threads connect such strangers whether in a Warsaw bar or a Bethlehem street, whatever they are they weave a more beautiful world whatever prompts them.
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