A Good Investment

On a cool breezy night last month my husband and I attended a formal dinner at an elegant country club here in our town. All the ladies were dressed so beautifully in their long flowing gowns, and the men looked so handsome in their sharp black tuxedo's! We were treated like royalty from the moment we arrived at the private dinning set up with beautiful china and crystal. A special duet was playing classical music in the background as we greeted one another and took formal pictures. A five course meal was served with some of Louisiana’s finest cuisine. Bon Appétit! The service was impeccable, and it was truly a night to remember.

The reason for this occasion was to recognize the new 2009 “President's Council” and say good bye to the out going one. This tradition has been going on for over 20 years at my husband's company. Rick worked exceptionally hard last year, spending the entire summer away in Iowa on a special disaster recovery project following the Cedar Rapids flood.

Part of the reward that goes along with this honor is a recognition trip. We were all sitting on the edge of our chairs awaiting the announcement from the President on where we would be going. This year he chose Williamsburg, VA., and it looks like it will be a wonderful get away to this beautiful and historic area of our country.

When I think about awards and accolades, it only seems natural for humans to desire this. After all, who doesn't want to be appreciated and recognized for their hard work, sacrifice, and leadership?

The bible speaks a lot about rewards both as a recompense for doing good, as well as, a punishment for doing wrong. Most people think of rewards in terms of material gain, but it was not only material prosperity Jesus promised to His disciples.

I like what John Piper said about this:

God's standards of greatness are different from ours, and the process through which He produces greatness are also very different.

Matt 25:20-21 describes an Award Ceremony that will take place in Heaven:

20 “And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. 21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”

What an awesome time of celebration this will be when all of God’s faithful servants will stand before Jesus as He honors them before the multitude of angels and saints in Heaven.

Is anything worth missing out hearing those words?

The word is filled with scriptures and promises of rewards. Here a just a few of them to consider.

I Samuel 26:23:
The LORD rewards every man for his righteousness and faithfulness?

Proverbs 12:14:
From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things as surely as the work of his hands rewards him.

Proverbs 19:17
He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done.

I especially like this one in Hebrews…

Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Now, what excites me the most is what we will be able to do with these rewards. I don't know about you, but I don't want to come empty handed when I face Jesus one day. I want to have my crowns to lay down at His feet. Just like the faithful servant in Matthew 25, I want to be able to give back to my master five more talents.

Something to ponder:

Consider how you are investing your talents each day as a servant of Christ.

Is there more that you know you are able to do?

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