When my two daughters were young, I attended all the group presentations in which they participated. I took note of the other parents. When their child was next to do a solo or recitation, the parents’ anticipation rose. Shortly, they were out in the aisle taking a picture.
My expectancy also peaked when one of my daughters was next to do her thing. I, too, jumped out into the aisle to take my picture. If she remembered her lines, she was smart like her mom and dad. If she forgot them, she was cute. It was a no-lose situation. She did not have to be good because she was mine.
Thessalonians is Paul’s letter to the church he had birthed by God’s grace. This letter drips with Paul’s parental love for those who came to know Christ through his ministry. Paul uses the imagery of a loving mother. God had brought these children into the kingdom of God, but Paul loved them like his own.
When we reach heaven, we will receive two rewards: God’s presence and a feeling of righteous pride about those we introduced to Christ.
Whether we have been a preacher, teacher, encourager, comforter, loving parent, or just an example of Christ-like living, we either plant, water, or witness the harvest. Regardless, the reward is the same.
Nothing done for Christ is ever done in vain. Those you lead to Christ will be your trophies and source of pride and joy.
Ken Barnes has had a twenty-five year career in educational pursuits. He has taught in various public and private schools in Pennsylvania, Hawaii, and Virginia. He also worked for seventeen years with Youth With A Mission as a school leader, recruiter, and director. Ken holds a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Virginia Commonwealth University. He is the author of The Chicken Farm and Other Sacred Places. He currently is a speaker, blogger, and freelance writer. Ken lives with his wife Sharon in Mechanicsville, Virginia. Visit Ken at https://sites.google.com/site/kenbarnesbooksite/