DO YOU WANT A REWARD- GOODMORNING

Do You Want a Reward?

by Tonya Ruiz

As I listened to the conference speaker encourage us to serve the Lord by picking up after our spouses, I wondered if my husband had secretly paid her. Upon arriving home, I immediately noticed his shoes lying on the living room floor.

Knowing I was being tested, I swooped down, gathered them in my arms and deposited them where they belonged. Six months and hundreds of trips to the closet later, I asked my husband, “Have you noticed that I’ve been picking up your shoes without complaining?” With an astonished look on his face he questioned, “When have I ever left my shoes out?” I laughed out loud and said, “It’s a good thing I was serving the Lord, and not you, or I’d be hopping mad.”

How often do our good deeds go unnoticed? Sometimes, it seems our lives are right out of the movie “Groundhog Day,” where the same events are lived over and over again. We just get the house reasonably clean, catch up on the mountain of laundry, and wash the endless dishes, only to wake up the next morning and start all over again. I don’t expect a pat on the back, or special recognition for everything I do, but it’s comforting to know that God sees my efforts. He knows our hearts, and He is the one we should seek to please. Whatever you are doing, no matter how mundane the task, pray that God will give you the strength to do it to His glory.

Have you ever watched the Academy Awards? The movie stars step out of their stretch limousines and onto the red carpet. Beautiful evening gowns designed by legendary fashion designers such as Dior, Valentino and Armani hang on the beautiful actresses. Winners are announced, and with surprised looks on their faces, they accept their Oscars, and tearfully say “Thank You” to an endless list of people.
My chances of ever winning an Oscar are about the same as my becoming a rocket scientist. It’s just not going to happen. However, there is an award I might win; perhaps I watched too much Twilight Zone growing up, but imagine with me, if you will, an Eternal Awards ceremony in Heaven…

Standing on the curb, broadcasting live, the announcer says, “This doesn’t seem to be the usual flashy crowd, not much glitz or glamour, but the faces do seem to have a certain glow. The nominees are walking down the red carpet, not in designer dresses, but in garments of salvation and robes of righteousness. White seems to be the trend this year.”

Inside the theater, a hush falls over the audience as the sealed envelopes are opened.

And the winners are…

“Best Visual Performance Award goes to: the Sunday School teachers who make Bible stories come alive to millions of young children through the use of songs, stories and flannel boards.”

“Best Art Director Award goes to: the mother, who encourages her young kids to color within the lines, keep the finger paint on the paper and the play-dough out of the carpet.”

“Best Supporting Actress Award goes to: the employee who smiles and laughs at her boss’ boring stories and corny jokes, week after week, and year after year.”

“Best Costume Design and Make-up Award goes to: The crew in charge of the annual Christmas pageants. They turn wiggling children into a beautiful living nativity scene.”

“Best Foreign Language Award goes to: the missionaries and Bible translators who diligently serve God far away from the comforts of home and family.”

“Best Circus Performance goes to: the mother who juggles a baby on her hip, while making spaghetti sauce for dinner, talking on the phone and disciplining a toddler.”

“Best Musical Score goes to: the worshipper, who will never be famous or make a CD, but in the confines of her car, sings praises to the Lord, with wholehearted devotion.”

“Special Achievement Award goes to: those who make extraordinary efforts to serve God. Through illness, persecution and pain, they march on toward the high calling of Christ.”

“Honorary Award goes to: Christians who glorify God in their ordinary, daily lives by showing the love of Jesus to others in their offices, schools, homes and neighborhoods.”

As the ceremony ends and God presents each winner with their bejeweled golden crowns, He says, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

I Corinthians 9:25 – “And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.”

-Tonya Ruiz