His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Matthew 25:23
Wrestling is a very tough sport. It takes a lot of training, practice, and determination to be successful at it. When I was in sixth grade, the state tournament began to be held on Sunday, and because of our belief that we ought to be in church, we quit going. But when I was in second grade, I won the state tournament. Thirty-two competitors in my weight class. That was a huge deal! My dad came to all my wrestling tournaments, and this one was definitely no exception. However, of all the tournaments I wrestled in and won, this one sticks out in my mind the most.
After I won the final match for the championship, I ran off the mat to where my dad was coaching. In my mind’s eye, I cannot really remember the wrestling match, but I’ll never forget what happened in that moment. My dad picked me up in his arms and carried me out of the gym. I don’t ever remember my dad picking me up before or since, and, while it felt awkward, it felt so good. I knew my dad was proud of me. It made the sense of accomplishment so much sweeter. I had worked hard and trained hard, and I had heard the congratulations from my dad.
As wonderful as it felt to hear my dad say, “Well done!” after a wrestling match, I can just imagine how it will feel one day to hear my Saviour say, “Well done!” when I get to the end of this life. I know it will take a lot of work and a lot of effort in fighting sin and temptation. I know it will cost me a lot of sacrifice if I am to hear those words of affirmation some day, but in the end, I know it will be worth it. Just as winning that wrestling match was the culmination of lots of hard work that didn’t just happen overnight, winning in this life is something that starts when we are born again and does not end until we stand before Christ.
If you are to ever hear your Lord say to you “well done,” it will not be because of one or two things that you did right. It is a daily thing. Could God tell you at the end of yesterday “Well done, thou good and faithful servant”? Will you live today so that when you pillow your head tonight, He will say “Well done, thou good and faithful servant”? Can the same be said for tomorrow and the next day? If not, then do not expect to hear those words when you get to Heaven. The sacrifice and the victories will become so much sweeter if we live in such a way that we can stand before our Father some day and hear His words, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”
Read also: Matthew 25:14-30
Quote of the day: “Live now like you’ll wish you had then.”