Rewards

     My rewards during my high school years consisted more of music medals than anything else.  I recall mentioning that I had run on the high school track team when I was a teenager.  I did get a number of ribbons during that time.  I had a couple of blue ones, a couple of red ones and a lot of white ones.  The third place ribbon was white and I seemed to have more of those than any other color especially at the county tournament.  The big school had a lot of runners and one of them even lapped me on the half mile run.  Well, regardless of the color, they were my trophies and went along with my high school sweater with the big "R" on it for "Rolling Prairie."  People like to receive rewards for those things that they have done and especially where some accomplishments have been made.  The concept came from the Olympic games.  We often see them in current times as podiums set at a different level.  The first place is higher than the second place and the second place is higher than the third place.  Paul used the example of these awards when he spoke of the "Bema" seat judgment.   Second Corinthians 10:5 reminds us, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad."   These are rewards where we receive certain items for work done here on earth.  Paul used the example of the games to show that these were rewards for the winners.  When I was on the track team, the rewards were good and certainly a goal for me to win the race.  That wasn't the only thing however.  I just flat wanted to win.  We all probably like to win in whatever area of our lives.  There is a catch to these rewards that are mentioned in Second Corinthians.  It all depends on the attitude you had when you did the work.  We know that we can do things either for our own selves or for Christ.  There is no middle ground or a half and half deal.  It's all or nothing.  Examples abound where people do things for their own glory.  Oh, they may say that it is for God's glory, but that doesn't make it so.  For some, it depends on who they are trying to impress.  Are you trying to impress your neighbor, or your son or daughter, or your father or mother, or your boss?  I am reminded of another verse of Scripture which says, "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." (Colossians 3:17)  You can do the same work and one will have credit from the Lord as gold and silver while the other, who has done the same work, will have his work regarded as no more than wood, hay and stubble.  What made the difference?  The difference was for Whom the work was done.  Praise God today for His working in your life.