God’s Reward is Greater than That of the World

This morning my understanding of God’s Word was again in question. I had to look to many different areas to get at the meaning for me. I want to first of all encourage you to do the same. Just because you do not understand something the first time you read it, don’t give up. God will reveal what it is He wants you to know, it just may take a bit of time and study, and is that really a bad thing, to spend time in His Word studying and learning?

“²⁶He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.” — Hebrews 11:26 (ESV)

Here is where I got caught up in the words and created the questions driving me to study deeper. Reproach is: “Disgrace; shame” (biblestudytools.com/dictionary/reproach/). So disgrace in front of Christ is the greater reward? No, that is not really it.

As I continued to study the Word of God and the different commentaries, I was reminded that context is everything. The before and after of the verse in question brings it all together. You see, Moses was more interested in pleasing God and doing His work than accepting the reward of man, Pharaoh. He was offered the opportunity to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, and he refused. He was able to take part of and claim ownership in the riches of the Egyptians and He refused. He was driven to avoid reproach of Christ and that is where his reward came.

“²⁴By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, ²⁵choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.” — Hebrews 11:24-25 (ESV)

The reward found with God is greater than any reward found in this world. God’s disappointment in us should be the driver to follow Him and do the work He has tasked us with in our lives. We are to bring glory to Him by spreading the gospel to the world so as to please Him and avoid his reproach. My reward as give by God is where I should be focusing my attention and not on those rewards that might be found here in this world for the short, and I mean short, time we are here.

What rewards are you concerned with in life? Are you searching for and seeking out the rewards that are given here in this world? What if you were to work at avoiding the reproach of Christ and do the work of Him so as to receive the reward in heaven at whatever cost here in this world?