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.