Several years ago my DH had to have seven hand operations after severing two of his fingers. He lost his job, no health insurance, and I had no job.
Our church at the time, helped us with some bills and repairs to his vehicle. Two sets of families gave us $125.00 each and wanted nothing in return except to play it forward. The 'church' family gave us some money and wanted us to 'return' the money when were able(this actually came from the preacher). They said they could not call it a loan as church's can't loan money, but they did want it returned. That set a little wrong with us, but a few years later things turned around for us. We not only re-paid the church with an offering, but to this day they have new fellowship hall tables (11)and a new storage shed they use all the time from 'anonymous'. Only one man in the church knew we had donated it. He never did tell anyone who donated it. We actually doubled the payment of the 'loan' because we knew it was what God wanted. We were not to take on the same attitude as the preacher.
We were ostracized (sp) by several of the folks in that church before we finished paying them back. The preacher and one other family were the worst.
We changed churches knowing we had to pay it forward with the money the two families had given us.
This Christmas, my DH gave $125 to a Veteran down on his luck so he could pay his electric bill. One down.
The DD of the one familly above, goes to my current church. She is very sick quite often (meningitis, gallbladder, infections)and having no health insurance and having to travel about 120 miles to another hospital for her meningitis. A month ago, she had a pancreatitis attack and was in the hospital again. My DH and I knew without a doubt we had to give her the other $125. After church we drove to town, went to her room, and guess who was in the room? Her mom and the preacher's wife who had ostracized us years ago. Well, mustering all the courage I could, I went in the room, smiled, said I had something for her, gave it to her and said she could open it later when she was alone that we were just passing it forward because so many folks had helped us years ago, and left. What a great feeling to have finished what we owed back. Now to keep doing it for others in need. Two down.
Sorry so long. Wanted to set the stage so to speak. It is true that what goes around comes around.