Awards are awesome! They really look great hanging on a bedroom wall or sitting on a shelf. If you have ever won an award, you should be very proud. After practicing and working hard toward something, a shiny trophy, a certificate trimmed in gold with your name on it, or even a few encouraging words are a great way for others to see and celebrate your efforts. It always feels good to have someone notice your hard work.
But even if no one ever notices the good things that you do, you should still keep doing your best. The kind of heart you have on the inside matters more than the number of trophies you have. Your heart is way more important than the work you do that others can see. God sees your heart and promises to reward you for it!
Colossians 3:23-24 says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” God wants you to remember that while awards and being noticed are nice, what matters most is the kind of heart you have. Your teachers and your coaches cannot see your heart, only God can. Your teacher may give you a certificate for having perfect attendance, but God wants to make sure that when you are at school, you are kind to others, you are a good listener, you make good decisions, and that you let your friends see His love.
Work hard and do your best, but always remember who you are really working for. When you work for God and have a heart to please Him, you will get the best reward. He promises to give you eternal rewards in heaven as you live with Him forever.
Dear God, I know You care about my heart. Help me to remember that I work for You. When I am doing something I love, or even when I am doing something I don’t enjoy, help me remember that You see what is happening on the inside! In Jesus’s name, amen.