The Reward of Work

"Give her of the fruit of her hands, And let her own works praise her in the gates" (Pro 31:31 NKJV).

So often I think of doing my work for the Lord's benefit. But it is obvious, when I think about it, that nothing that I do or don't do can possibly add to His power and strength. So then I think that it is for others, and on one level it is. But in the end, I myself am the primary beneficiary of my own work. This is true not only in this life, in growth of character and rewards (whether material, spiritual, or emotional) but in eternity as well. The fruit of my hands will be given to me! (Nothing is wasted!) Our own works will cause Jesus to praise us before men and angels: "Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord" (Mat. 25:21).

"For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire" (1Co 3:9-15 NKJV, emphasis added).

While our works will not earn Heaven for us, they still have real eternal value. If what we build during this internship (this pre-life, if you will) survives the fire of judgment, it will continue on in the new Heaven and Earth, and we will be honored for having done it. You may work now in obscurity, hidden from the praise of man. You may often wonder whether anyone sees. You may crave praise. (Oh, do I!) Our desire is not wrong. But the best praise is saved for last. Our work is not yet complete. One day, all that we have done in secret "as to the Lord" will be noticed by all of creation. Our Father, who sees us now, will reward us openly!

This is the opposite of man's way. Jesus' brothers advised him, "For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world" (Joh 7:4 NKJV). The human way is to do everything openly, to be known and recognized by as many as possible, as quickly as possible. But this is the way of unbelief (7:5). Jesus' way is the opposite: "But when His brothers had gone up, then He also went up to the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret" (Joh 7:10 NKJV). And this is the reason: Whatever is done secretly now, the Father will reward openly later!

"But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly" (Mat 6:3-4 NKJV).

"But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly" (Mat 6:6 NKJV).

"But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly" (Mat 6:17-18 NKJV).

Three times, Jesus repeats the phrase, "your Father who sees in secret will reward you." Perhaps this is something He wants us to understand!

Lord, help me not to do my work merely for temporary rewards. Please protect me from seeing myself as a martyr for my family, slaving away with little appreciation for all my work. For, whether anyone now notices or not, You see everything I do. Help me to do it well, for Your praise. Rest my heart in the knowledge that the real, lasting rewards are still to come. Thank You for the encouragement of the praise I do receive (and now that I think of it, it comes more often than I sometimes think). It helps to keep me going. But let me thank You even more for the acts of love and service that I do which are not noticed, for these are the ones for which I will reap great, eternal rewards later. Please give me the grace to patiently wait for what You have promised instead of grasping for whatever I can get now.

"And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ" (Col 3:23-24 NKJV).