Matthew 25:23...His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
We serve a God of rewards, thankfully! Rewards of a fruitful and thriving life are the reason for God's commands. The Bible describes spiritual fruit as love, joy, peace, goodness, thankfulness, etc. For example, if children obey their parents, there is joy in their relationship. In the example of the Holy Father, we should reward our children...for doing chores without being told, for memorizing that list of Bible verses, for reading the Bible without being prompted, for being kind to their brother. Just like Jehovah God, rewards show how much we love them.
One reward idea I really love is a trophy. For some reason, our girls LOVE trophies. Trophies are inexpensive, starting at usually $5, and act as a reminder of good things accomplished. Our girls express a great sense of accomplishment when showing them to others. Kids these days receive them for being a good ball player or making that perfect tumble. Why not give them one as a reminder of godly behavior? It serves as a great conversation starter about God's rewards, the fruit of the Spirit. Check out John 15 and Galatians 5. And, you never know what friend of theirs might be impacted when they see it!! Isn't that how spiritual fruit works? It multiplies!
