Responsibility: Is Rewardable
'His lord said to him, '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.''-Matthew 25:21 (NKJV)
Yesterday we saw the ingredients of responsible behavior. Today we turn our attention to the outcome of responsible behavior. Our starting spot is the same parable we previously looked at, only this time we will focus on the master's response to the responsible servant, which we see in the verse above: 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.'
This brings us to an important point: responsible behavior is rewardable. In many cases, employees who have the most responsible track record are also those who get promotions. They show up early for work, stay until a task is finished, and don't pass the buck when they make a mistake. Their actions put them ahead of the pack, and when the boss has an opportunity to give more responsibilities to someone, he or she will give it to someone who has proved reliable in the past.
Wait a second, Pastor Bob! I've been a responsible employee for years, and I've never gotten any recognition or reward from my boss! Yes, you have, but you just don't realize it. Ultimately, we work for God (Ephesians 6:5), and He will be faithful to reward responsible behavior (1 Corinthians 3:13-15). It may not come in the form of a company car or a corner office, it may not even come here on earth, but we can be certain that God will be faithful to reward us in His kingdom with untold riches according to our deeds while here on earth.
DIG - What is the response to responsible behavior?
DISCOVER - How can this truth encourage you to act more responsibly?
DISPLAY - Ask God to examine your heart and show you if your behavior is rewardable behavior.
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At the age of 24, Bob Coy left a coveted position in the music industry to serve as an associate pastor with Calvary Chapel of Las Vegas. In 1985, Bob and his wife, Diane, moved to Fort Lauderdale and began Calvary Chapel of Fort Lauderdale. As senior pastor, he has become well known for his unique style in expounding the Scriptures, making them come alive and relate to those of us living in the 21st century. His teaching style emphasizes the believer's "life application" of the highest standards of God's truth while his delivery captures the loving heart of God's Spirit.
Pastor Bob has had the rare privilege of watching God's miraculous hand move in the individual lives of those in the fellowship as well as the corporate body as a whole. From the first meeting in a living room with four in attendance, Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale has now become home to over 17,000 men and women from the tri-county area, and ranks as the eighth largest church in the country. Though many have tried to attribute its rapid growth to numerous reasons, no one is more surprised by the phenomenon than Pastor Bob, who gives total credit and all the glory to God alone.
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