The Wrong Trophy

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. (Matthew 6:1-8 ESV).

There are some rewards that are not worth getting! The following are from the British Sunday Express. These are true stories of some awards given in 1992.

 The Tortoise Trophy. This was given to British Rail. Which ingeniously solved the problem of the lateness of the InterCity express train service by redefining “on time” to include trains arriving within one hour of schedule.
 The Crime Watch Gold Star Award. This award was given to Henry Smith, arrested moments after returning home with a stolen stereo. His mistake that led to his speedy capture was having his name tattooed on his forehead in large capital letters. His lawyer later told the court in his defense: “My client is not a very bright young man.”
 The Crime Watch Silver Star Award. This award was given to Michael Robinson, who called police to deliver a false bomb threat. He became so agitated after he was put on hold and the cost of his call began to mount, that he began screaming “call me back” and left his phone number.
 The Crime Watch Bronze Star Award. This award was given to Paul Monkton, who used his as his getaway vehicle a van with his name and phone number painted in foot-high letters on the sides.
 The British Cup. This trophy went to the passengers on a jam-packed train from Margate to Victoria who averted their eyes while John Henderson and Zoe D’Arcy engaged in illicit sexual activities but complained when they lit up cigarettes afterward in a non-smoking compartment.
 The Flying Cross. This award was given to Percy, a homing pigeon, who flopped down exhausted in a Shefield loft having beaten 1,000 rivals in a 500-mile race and was immediately eaten by a cat. The 90-minute delay in finding his remains and handing his identification tag to the judges relegated Percy from first to third place.
 The Lazarus Laurel Award. This award was given to Julia Carson, who as her tearful family gathered round her casket in a New York funeral home, sat bolt upright and asked what was going on. Celebrations were short lived since Mrs. Carlson’s daughter, Julie, immediately dropped dead from shock.

There are some trophies not worth having! When Jesus taught the crowds that had gathered on the mount near the Sea of Galilee, He instructed them about their giving and their prayer life. His emphasis was on their need to seek a higher reward than that of those around them. Our lesson is clear: live for the praise and reward of our heavenly Father, not the people around us. It is always good to be appreciated by others for the good things we do. However, the greatest reward will come from God, not men.