Finishing Well
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. 2 Timothy 4:7-8
Yesterday in Children's Church, the kids were tasked with carrying 5 little sugary pumpkin candies from one point to another on an oversized tongue depressor. I instructed the kids to focus on their own pumpkins as they walked, keep them safe on the depressor they carried, and to not make finishing first the goal. I reminded them of how dirty the floor could be with all the dirt we carry in on our shoes and how the pumpkins would not be edible if we dropped them. (Some of the kids gasped when I said they couldn't eat them if they fell on the floor!)
While giving them instructions on the goal of this task, I was reminded of Paul and the concluding thoughts of his life. Paul felt he had run the race of life faithfully and served God well since his conversion. His life mattered in service to God and his fellow man. He was diligent in his service and looked forward to the reward promised to the faithful believers given by Jesus at the end of our life.
Later, as I thought more on this, I wondered how we could apply this to our own lives. All too often, we focus on finishing first - having the best of everything, living the good life with earthly treasures and rewards. We come to church focused on everyone around us rather than our own worship and with this we lose sight of what is truly important. If we, like the kids with the depressors, focused on keeping our spiritual life steady then we would not have time to compare our lives to those around us. We would work to keep our "pumpkins" clean and like Paul, say we finished well.
The kids listened well, enjoyed the game, and then the pumpkins. They learned to focus on their own walk and keeping their pumpkins off the floor.
Sorry parents for the sugar-filled kids. (It's Trish's fault, lol)
Yesterday in Children's Church, the kids were tasked with carrying 5 little sugary pumpkin candies from one point to another on an oversized tongue depressor. I instructed the kids to focus on their own pumpkins as they walked, keep them safe on the depressor they carried, and to not make finishing first the goal. I reminded them of how dirty the floor could be with all the dirt we carry in on our shoes and how the pumpkins would not be edible if we dropped them. (Some of the kids gasped when I said they couldn't eat them if they fell on the floor!)
While giving them instructions on the goal of this task, I was reminded of Paul and the concluding thoughts of his life. Paul felt he had run the race of life faithfully and served God well since his conversion. His life mattered in service to God and his fellow man. He was diligent in his service and looked forward to the reward promised to the faithful believers given by Jesus at the end of our life.
Later, as I thought more on this, I wondered how we could apply this to our own lives. All too often, we focus on finishing first - having the best of everything, living the good life with earthly treasures and rewards. We come to church focused on everyone around us rather than our own worship and with this we lose sight of what is truly important. If we, like the kids with the depressors, focused on keeping our spiritual life steady then we would not have time to compare our lives to those around us. We would work to keep our "pumpkins" clean and like Paul, say we finished well.
The kids listened well, enjoyed the game, and then the pumpkins. They learned to focus on their own walk and keeping their pumpkins off the floor.
Sorry parents for the sugar-filled kids. (It's Trish's fault, lol)
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