The Rewards of the Faithful

Colossians 2:18-19

Rewarding the faithful, now that is something I understand, in that my living was made in the area of sales.  In my early years in sales, I wanted to win the contest no matter the value of the prize, but as I got more sophisticated a trip to some nice place would drive me, but a plaque with nice words was not much of a motivator.  As I read the above verses this phase jumped out at me, “Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize.”  My first thoughts were, what is the value of the prize, is it worth the time and energy that will be required?

In my thirty plus years of living this Christian life, I’ve dropped the ball more than most, and I have found that it is easy to put your ladder on the wrong wall, or to put your focus on a person and not on Christ.  An uninformed Christian can be of great harm to the kingdom of Christ.  After reading the verse above it is apparent that the enemy has a plan devised to turn our hearts from Christ Jesus.  But if we study to show ourselves workmen and we rightly divide the Word of God, God has some prizes for us, and some are for now and others will be given out in heaven.

The Rewards of the Faithful; I like to prioritize things, but you can put these rewards in any order you desire.  For me the order of importance is Matthew 10:32, in that Jesus said it, “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven.”   The greatest prize is; being introduced to God by His Son Jesus!  If that prize is not part of your plans stop reading; the remainder will not apply to you.  The prophet Daniel shared this about the person who shares Christ with the lost, “Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.”  (Daniel 12:3)

What about the reward given to the faithful servant found in Matthew 25:23, “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!  You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.  Come and share your master’s happiness!  I believe this is one we will enjoy both now and in heaven and I also believe this one on being benevolent is in that same group.  In Luke 6:35, “But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.”  I only know one way a person can do this, and that’s by telling God; “I can’t You never said I could, but You can and You promised You would.”  It is Christ doing the will of the Father in us, it requires us to by faith ask Jesus to love our enemies in and through us.  The apostle Paul tells us this; “but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.”  (Romans 2:10)

The bottom line is do not let anyone who is unspiritual, who puts the object of their faith on anyone or anything other than Christ disqualify you for the prize.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice