Stress!  Stress is having your waitress ask if you prefer quinoa or basmati and you don’t know what either one is.

A greater stress, however, is to stand before the judgement seat of Christ.  Paul taught us that one day, every Christian will give an account for ourselves.  Lives that have been lived for Jesus will be rewarded (1 Corinthians 3:14)

So, this is how I see this playing out in my life.  I stand in line, for maybe several thousand years awaiting my turn. 

Finally, I am asked to step forward.  Jesus sets His gaze upon me, and He says, “Jim I’m glad to see you.  You have served me well.  Your 32 years as a pastor were well spent and those years you worked as a hospice chaplain, so appreciated.  Thank you for your service. 

For you, I have not just one, or two but three shiny crowns.  Congratulations!”

With joy and humility, I receive my reward and I take my seat in the arena with millions of others.  Maybe I’ll sit in the white-haired section with Methuselah. Together we’ll watch as the judgment event continues. 

Then Ralph and Patsy approach the throne – a sweet couple from the church that I once led as pastor.   Jesus sees them and says, “Wow, I am so pleased to see you!  Well done my good and faithful servants. Let me give you your reward.” 

And then He whistles and says, “Michael, help us out.”   So, the archangel jumps into a truck, and he begins to back it up – beep, beep, beep, beep and it stops right before Ralph and Patsy. 

The bed begins to rise.  It’s a dump truck – and out of the gate pours a river of crowns – a dump truck full of crowns.   Ralph and Patsy are buried in a pile of golden glitter.

Well, I am stunned, and then somewhat aggravated, so I say, “Uh excuse me Lord, I was a pastor and a hospice chaplain, but I only got three crowns.  What’s the deal here?” 

“Well Jim, yes you did those things.  But you were paid to be good.  Ralph and Patsy – they were good for nothing.

Do you recall my words in Luke 9:23. “If anyone wants to become my follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily.”

The key word there Jim, is deny.  My followers deny themselves.  They willingly make sacrifices, every day to do the will of God.  That’s what I did, and that’s what my disciples are expected to do. 

Now Jim you were paid to do ministry.  In many respects it was a job like any other.  You received your reward every two weeks, but Ralph and Patsy, they freely and continually laid down their lives purely out of their love for me and my people.  

Think about it!  They spent hours, year-after-year planning exceptional events that brought joy to my people.  But they did more than plan, they rolled up their sleeves and helped to bring them to life.  They drove the bus and set up tables and sound systems.  They decorated and came up with crazy mixers.

They loved and celebrated my people.  Every senior was important to them, and they noticed when one was absent. 

You could depend on them to be at the hospital at 5 a.m. when one of the flock was sick.  And there have been a lot of sick seniors over the years. 

They helped the needy ones with money, and did it in such a way as to not embarrass them.  Ralph even used his background in finance to help others learn how to handle their money.

And they offered their services without acclaim or financial compensation. And they persevered longer than do most pastors. So, Jim it is my joy to richly reward them now.” 

“Hmm, Hey Mr. Methuselah can I just slip by you?”  “Yes, but where are you going?” 

“I am taking my three crowns down to give to the ones who most deserve them.”

A PRAYER: Lord may personal sacrifice be the heart of all that I do for You.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.