True Achievement and Rewards

How much does it mean to make an achievement? I was just thinking about this as today is Superbowl Sunday. Football is a big deal to alot of people. They go to great lengths to get that trophy. Is that all there is to life? Do we all aim to get a trophy of achievement? For those of us who don't do that, what does that mean?

When I was a child, I used to love awards. I remember winning spelling contests and math contests and I was really excited. I was good at track and so won some metals with that. My goal back then was to win at any cost. It seemed that was what made life worth it. I pushed myself and became a really good long distance runner. I felt really good when I won but when I lost I felt really lousy. It seemed that was all I put my trust into. I thought that was all there was to achieve meaning in life.

As I grew up, I realized that isn't all there is to life. There is loss alot of times. I believe the people who lose big, learn big time. I lost some really important things in my life and I became depressed. It was then that I realized that losing taught me more than winning. I learned patience and perseverance which far outweighed the gains of winning. Actually the gains in winning were actual obstacles to real learning and real trophies. I believe that there are people on this earth who have done great things and who never get noticed by trophies or awards. These are the true heroes and the true champions. They keep going despite obstacles and oppositions. There are those who risk everything and who never see any recognition.

We are told that if we do acts of righteousness to be noticed by men, that is our reward. God does not acknowledge the rewards here on earth. They mean nothing to him. I believe someday, when all these things burn away in heaven, we will see the real awards. I guarantee that there won't be trophies or gold metals in heaven but true meaning in the quiet acts of perseverance and loss. Thank God for that! God will give His praise someday which will be more recognition than anything here on earth.