I have always been fascinated by world records. So much so, that I led an effort to have Stoneybrooke be listed in the Guiness Book of World Records. (We are! At one point, we made the World’s Longest Paper Doll Chain. Check it out!)

Recently, I was fascinated to see a different kind of world record. This one had to do with the chain of folks who “pay it forward” at restaurants. It seems that there is a Dairy Queen in Minnesota that had 900 cars drive through over a 2 ½ day period. Collectively, they spent some $10,000. Each one “paying it forward” for the next car in line.

A Starbucks had a chain of 1000 customers paying it forward until a guy by the name of Peter Schorsch purposefully got in line and refused to pay for the guy behind him. He believed that people were responding out of guilt, not generosity. He thought that secretly it was some kind of a marketing ploy and that basically it was unfair. One guy might only have a $4 cup of coffee while paying for a $10 specialty drink for the next guy in line. So, He refused to keep it going.

I don’t agree with Peter, and I wish he had kept the chain of kindness going. It must be so encouraging to be able to tell someone that their order has been paid in full.

When you receive this Musing, it will be right after Easter week. And if you think about it, we have a chance to start up another chain of kindness. Only this time, when we express the good news that someone’s debt has been paid in full, we will need to explain the details of the gospel.

When Jesus cried out on the cross “tetelestai” He was declaring that our spiritual debt was paid in full. His sacrifice paid for our sin. And Jesus paid it all.

Now you and I get the privilege of “paying it forward.” We can start and maintain a long line of caring believers who desperately want their loved ones, co-workers and neighbors to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

We get to announce, over and over again,” your sin has already been paid for.” By faith our shame and guilt have been erased.  The message of Easter continues to reverberate.

Let’s keep the chain going!