Are you one of those people who have, at some point, decided you were ready to part with your childhood trophies? A friend of mine recently packed up for a move and decided to get rid of his, realizing they weren’t that important to him anymore and weren’t worth the space they took up. If you’ve done this, too, you know that it actually can be difficult to find a place to donate your old trophies. Turns out our awards are even less meaningful to strangers. Who knew?
In the town where I used to live, there was a thrift store dedicated to craft supplies and other miscellaneous recyclables, and they had shelves and shelves full of people’s old trophies. Walking up and down those aisles really put into perspective for me that the things that feel so significant to us in the moment are actually so fleeting, and in the long run, they might not be quite as important as we thought. Those experiences may have been formative, to be sure, and that’s certainly worth celebrating and remembering. But what we may not have realized at the time when those trophies were handed to us is that those accomplishments don’t determine the significance of our lives.
What does make a life meaningful? According to Jesus, it’s how we’ve loved God and loved people. But he broke it down for us in greater detail, describing many simple things we can do to make our lives meaningful from his perspective, things he said will be worthy of eternal reward.
The Bible is clear that our efforts and accomplishments don’t earn us salvation- only the work of Christ on the cross can do that- but did you know that God plans to reward us for many of the good deeds we do, if they are done in love and not for praise? Things like caring for children and meeting the needs of the poor are of great worth in God’s sight, and treasure awaits those who prioritize such things. Just as commendable is meeting people’s spiritual needs, and doing things such as sowing seeds of faith in others and showing hospitality to your enemies are eternally significant. There are also inward things God prizes and rewards with prizes- things such as diligently seeking him, praying in secret, and longing for Christ’s return. A simple prayer, a simple smile, a simple word of encouragement or simple glass of water offered in love can have a bigger impact than any winning shot.
As we get older, it can feel like we’ve passed our prime, that our glory days are behind us. But let me let you in on a secret: God’s kingdom is an upside-down kingdom- it flips the world’s ways, its assumptions, economics, values, and timelines completely on their heads. God has never been impressed by strength, fame, or lengthy lists of accomplishments, but he holds in high esteem those who have nothing more to offer him than their humble hearts and willing service.
Though getting older comes with many difficulties, it also brings the greatest opportunity to learn this truth. “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble,” and most of us require a bit of humbling to get to the place where we can take our eyes off ourselves and give God our full attention. It is only in our weakness that we realize our need for God and draw close to him, and perhaps it is when we’ve got a bit less to offer but more awareness of what really matters that we can love people with the kind of maturity that God desires. No need to worry that it won’t be enough, because it’s in our weakness that we leave room for his tremendous power to work in us and through us in seemingly small but exceedingly beautiful and eternally significant ways.
Friend, your glory days aren’t behind you. They’re ahead. There is still meaningful work for you to do, along with a priceless and lasting prize waiting in heaven for you, “an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.” (1 Peter 1:4)
Are you ready to put your old trophies aside and turn your attention to running the spiritual race God says will earn you a much better prize?
“Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”
1 Corinthians 9:24-25
“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
-2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”
-2 Corinthians 4:16
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