While our children were growing up, by God’s gracious provision, our family had a small janitorial business to supplement our financial needs. We always took the children even if all they were able to do was gather the wastebaskets. One day, the girls were less than enthusiastic about their participation. So, without really thinking it through, I told them: “If you work hard with a good attitude, when you graduate high school, mom and I will buy you a car.” I only promised that once but, they never forgot it, nor would they let me forget, nor allow me not to follow through on my promise.
Our Heavenly Father has a fantastic promise for every blood-bought believer. Referring to the time when we graduate from this life into eternity, 1 Corinthians 3:8 says: “…every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.” With absolute certainty, we are assured the Lord will handsomely reward us for service done for the Lord Jesus Christ after salvation. Reconfirming this confidence, the Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:58: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”
As we meditate on this encouraging promise, we should also comprehend one key related truth. Any reward will be proportionate to our effort in service. As stated above, everyone will be given reward “…according to his own labour” (1 Cor. 3:8). If we choose to do little or nothing for the Lord after salvation, this will be reflected in little reward received. Second Corinthians 9:6 states it this way: “…he which soweth sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.” As a high school yearbook reflects one’s participation in school, or lack thereof, our records in eternity will correspond with our service and reward. That makes it important for us to busy ourselves now with activities that will matter once we reach eternity. We can serve Christ by inviting or transporting folks to church, presenting the gospel, handing out gospel tracts, serving in the church nursery, teaching the Scriptures, assisting in youth ministries, giving faithfully, doing follow-up on visitors, befriending newcomers to church, and much more. The limit on serving Christ is only our imagination and our willingness.
Don’t be among the foolish who serve only self in this life. Choose to do something today to further the cause of Christ. Remember, there will be a payday someday.
To the Reader:
Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers. When many of these articles were later compiled in book form, Pastor Stam wrote this word of explanation in the Preface:
"It should be borne in mind that the newspaper column, Two Minutes With the Bible, has now been published for many years, so that local, national and international events are discussed as if they occurred only recently. Rather than rewrite or date such articles, we have left them just as they were when first published. This, we felt, would add to the interest, especially since our readers understand that they first appeared as newspaper articles."
To this we would add that the same is true for the articles written by others that we continue to add, on a regular basis, to the Two Minutes library. We hope that you'll agree that while some of the references in these articles are dated, the spiritual truths taught therein are timeless.