In some children’s Sunday services in my church, we hand out cards to the children when we notice their good behaviour. They collect the cards and receive prizes for the good choices they’ve made. We are trying to reinforce good behaviour rather than focusing on bad behaviour.

When one leader handed a card to 11 year old Tyree, he responded, “No, thanks. I don’t need one; I want to behave well, and I don’t need a reward for that.” For him, doing the right thing was its own reward. He definitely has good values, and he wants to live them out—prize or not.

As believers in Jesus, we will receive rewards one day. 2 Corinthians 5:10 says that everyone will “receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” But to get a reward should not be our motivation for right living. Neither is it to earn salvation. Living out of love for God and pleasing Him should be our heart’s desire.

When we love God, we make it our aim to please Him who first loved us (1 John 4:19) and to serve Him with pure motives (Prov. 16:2; 1 Cor. 4:5). The best reward will be to be with Him!

Author

Anne Cetas

Topics

Our Daily Bread