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January 23rd.
2008
PAY IT FORWARD - EPIPHANY
One of my favorite commercials
presently on television is the one that opens with a person stopping
another person from stepping out into traffic. This kind gesture is
witnessed by a bystander, which then sets off an entire sequence of
events.
The next scene shows the witness of the first random, and yet
potentially life changing event, assisting someone who is about to have
something incredibly bad happen to them. This, like the first incident,
is observed by an individual who then goes on to - you get the picture.
Interestingly, I watched this commercial a good half dozen times before
I became aware it was for an insurance company. Nothing in either the
dramatization or even in the verbiage made me think about purchasing
insurance.
Rather, what the commercial creates for me is a feeling of how I want to
believe both myself and others act. I want to think that if I saw
somebody about to have havoc reeked upon his or her life that I would
respond accordingly. Likewise, if I saw an act where someone did step up
to help, that his or her behavior would both inspire and motivate me to
do the same.
The reality is we want to believe that we live in a world, and that we
are the kind of folks, who reach out to others…even if we do not know
them. And for good reason, for that is what it means to be the hands
(literally) and heart of Jesus.
In this Epiphany season, as we continue to lift up all the ways Christ
is and can be made known, how we respond, react, and reach out to those
around maybe the greatest testament of our faith.
Blessings,
The Rev. Brian N. Prior, Rector
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