The Greatest Words You’ll Ever Hear
Adam Currence
Think for a moment of all of the awards, accolades, and accomplishments you could ever receive in your lifetime. Academically, how great is it to hear your name called for a high GPA, perfect attendance, or because you were valedictorian. Maybe you won first place with a science project or research paper. In the world of sports, how great would it feel to win a championship game (at any level)? How great would it feel to win the Heisman (a prestigious college football award), or even win a super bowl? Doing any of those things would cement your name in history and put you among an elite group of athletes. At work, imagine being rewarded for your hard work with extra vacation time or a lucrative bonus. Maybe just winning “employee of the year” would be enough for you.
All of those awards would be amazing to receive. Yet I propose to you that they couldn’t hold a candle to the award Jesus is giving out.
In the parable of the talents, Jesus (the “master” in the parable) rewarded the faithful servants who doubled their master’s money with the following words:
His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ (Matt. 25:21; 23, NKJV).
To slave who hid the money/talent in the ground so as not to lose any of it, Jesus said the following:
“But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.
‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ (Matt. 25:26-30, NKVJ)
What could possibly be greater to hear than “well done good and faithful servant….enter into the joy of your master”? What could possibly be a greater award or reward than eternity with our master because of our faithfulness with what God has given us? It will trump any reward or award or accolade that we could ever receive on this earth.
In the meantime, we have much to do. Let us roll up our sleeves and work, working out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12-13) and living with an active, “doing” faith (James 2:17ff).
