“Knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.” (Eph. 6:8)

Two important things are mentioned in this verse by Paul. Jesus is not a respecter of persons is one of them. Slave or free, rich or poor, educated or not, Jew or Gentile, male or female are all seen as one in Jesus’s sight. You don’t have to impress Jesus with your status in the world because it is meaningless to him. The trappings of men are for men, not for Jesus.

This is just another gentle reminder that Jesus looks inside a person not outside. What God saw in David the shepherd boy he did not see in his older brothers. The story of God’s dealings with men is replete with examples of his choosing the inner man and not the outer man. Remember how Gideon protested, explaining to God why he was a poor choice?

Too bad we are so busy sizing people up by what we see externally. If we would get over that and concentrate on the person inside the shell we might find a new world of good people to associate with.

The second big lesson we learn in this verse is that good deeds are not only noticed by the Lord but rewarded by him. This should provide us with all the motivation we need to render service as to the Lord. Like putting money in a savings account, good deeds are stored up for rewards. It’s like having your own heavenly rewards card.

We render service to the world but we do it as if to God and he, in turn, gives us good things back. Jesus said he would do that with a full measure, tamped down and running over.

Does this mean that if I’m diligent about feeding the hungry or helping a widow that God will reward me with a new car or a fur coat? Some mistakenly teach and others mistakenly believe that God is a banker who distributes money to his servants. Not even close. God’s bank has different rewards stored up in its vault. God loves the poor, especially the poor in heart. The book warns against the accumulation of riches on this earth where all kinds of bad things can happen to them. Why would he then make us rich as a reward for being good servants?

Those who render service to get a reward, do. Men will praise them and the world will salute them. That is for those who want worldly rewards. Christians seek heavenly rewards.

Task for Today: Render service to the world but render it as to God. Don’t worry about earthly gain but rather seek the promises of heaven. You will not be disappointed. Just remember, packed down, heaped up and spilling over.