Rewards & Recognition

Working in the corporate world, you quickly get used to the words 'Rewards' & 'Recognition'. Nobody would like to work for free unless he is a philanthropist or working for perhaps social causes. Everyone expects monetary gains & appreciation for a job well done. Its not very different for us believers too. We labor & .....rejoice in the hope of the glory of God (Rom 5:2).

The purpose of 'Rewards' & 'Recognition' in the Corporate world is to stir people into action & encourage competition towards achieving set objectives. But in the world of believers there does not seem to be much effectiveness of this. Once we accept Christ (recruitment), our behaviour seems to suggest that this is it. There is no struggle, no effort, no pressing ahead to achieve any objective. Paul himself said in Phil 3:12, 14 'Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of (recruited) me'. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. So we can safely conclude from this that there is an objective/goal which is to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. (Phil 3:10). We can also conclude that there is a prize/reward for everyone who runs this race & finishes it.

But will all be rewarded equally? Do some of us misconstrue the verse 'the first will be last & the last will be first' to assume that everyone will be rewarded equally? Do you seriously expect your reward to be the same as Abraham, Elijah, David, Paul and such men of faith? Psalm 62:12 says.......Surely you will reward each person according to what he has done. Isaiah 49:4 says.......Yet what is due me is in the LORD's hand, and my reward is with my God." Jeremiah 32:19 says......Your eyes are open to all the ways of men; you reward everyone according to his conduct and as his deeds deserve. Mathew 16 :27 says ......and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. I have no idea what God's measure is going to be. But what I do know is God will dispense different rewards according to your faithfulness with whats been entrusted to you, your obedience, love, your conduct, your actions/achievements/deeds etc. And it doesn't matter who planted, who watered & who harvested (Refer 1 Cor 3:8) or in which time in history you were born. For, in that sense the first will be last & the last will be first.

Remember that God's keeping score on everything. Mathew 10:42 says And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward. Please take heed that all believers have access to every resource in Christ equally. But only some take hold and many don't. Most are satisfied with having got past the pearly gates and very few are yearning to stand before him & behold his glory. I believe grace will get you to heaven, but will not determine your reward. Maybe the reward is the joy of beholding his Glory. A front seat pass for an eternity of worship could be the highest reward.

Yes! Its not fully clear what God has in terms of a reward as it is written in 1 Cor 2:9 "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him". But have faith that the reward is going to be 'AWESOME' and let each one of you be convinced in his own mind that its worth giving up everything in this world for. Lets live eternity now. Lets really live like strangers, soujorners in this world. Lets be patient in this instant world where each one wants to know what his reward is before pressing on and wants to know how soon he can get it. Hear what your master says "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done." (Rev 22:12). He who has ears let him hear.

Whose side are you on?

Joshua 5:13 Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, "Are you for us or for our enemies?" From this its quite evident that Joshua had no idea who he was talking to. It seems a valid point in a war to ask every armed man, whose side he is on if his battle fatigues do not clarify that. But the reply to this question is 'beautiful' and 'challenging'.

Joshua 5:14 "Neither," he replied, "but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come." Can you believe this? The angel of the Lord looks at Joshua square in the face and tells Joshua something that I am not sure Joshua got the import of at that moment. Let me rephrase what the angel actually said- "Joshua! You & the people you are leading may be God's chosen people. But remember that the world, its fulness thereof & the people in it all belong to God. The promise to your forefather Abraham was that he will be the father of ALL nations. God is not fighting your war Joshua. YOU are fighting GOD's war. Can't you see child? Its not the Israelites vs Amalekites. Its Good vs Evil. Its God vs devil. Change your perspective Joshua. There are bigger things happening here".

Years ago I met a man of God in Delhi who reiterated the same. He had said that in any crisis, challenge, conflict, trouble, hardship or issue we need to know that the enemy is not people, its always the devil. The devil would like you to believe that he doesn't exist & would like you to be angry with yourself & those around you. But remember the big picture always, that the fight is between God vs devil and your attitude & reaction at that moment will determine whose side you are really on. You are not asked to call on God to fight your battles. You are asked to fight God's battles. Remember that in the scheme of things there are just 2 sides - God's & the devil's. If you have a narrow perspective like Joshua had, you are likely to be misled and may find yourself resisting God and submitting to the devil.

Jesus had said this once- Mathew 12:30 "He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters. Its not written, but the angel had actually asked an implicit question to Joshua- "Whose side are YOU really on"? He who has ears let him hear.

"For many are invited, but few are chosen."

Mathew 22:14 is intriguing to say the least. Heard an interpretation of this verse the other day that basically placed the onus of being a christian on God. And I was led immediately to ponder on the parable to derive the truth on what Jesus actually meant. Can we throw our hands in the air and say that God has already chosen people for eternal damnation & people for salvation? There is nothing more that can be done about it. If so what is the meaning of John 1:7 - 7He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him ALL men might believe.

Mat 22: 3,9 - '3He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. 9Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.' The following truths emerge: that many reject Christ at the invitation stage itself as they have hardened their hearts to God & that God invites everybody.

Mat 22:11, 12- 'But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12'Friend,' he asked, 'how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' The man was speechless. This is interesting. The man had heard the word, accepted Christ, but came to the banquet unprepared by not wearing wedding clothes. But if he was homeless and a pauper he couldn't have afforded the wedding clothes anyways. So why was the King angry?

The King was angry because the only things that was required of the man was wear his wedding clothes & he didn't. The King of course knew that this man & many men like him who had been invited were poor & couldn't afford wedding clothes. It was highly probable that the Kings bearers had given them all royal robes to wear for the occassion & this man had scorned them. In other words he had taken the invitation too lightly. Luke 13: 26, 27 highlights this: 26"Then you will say, 'We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.' 27"But he will reply, 'I don't know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!' All of us are called to put off our old garments once we accept the invitation. Ephesians 4: 22 illustrates this- 22You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires.

Which brings us to the hard part. Will all who accept Christ go to heaven. the answer is a hard-hitting NO. Because if we continue to wear our old self & not wear the wedding garments symbolizing the holiness & righteousness of Christ, we mock God. You have to understand that the proof of your invitation to the banquet is the wedding clothes which the King Himself gave you & nothing else.

I hope the answer that we receive will not be as in Luke 13: 27- 27"But he will reply, 'I don't know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!' . We are called to wear our wedding clothes permanantly and stand watch for that day & hour we know not. Mathew 24: 42- 42"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. For many are invited, but few are chosen. He who has ears let him hear.