Rewarding The Wrong

Dave Ramsey had a caller yesterday who wanted to help his sister's family through a difficult time, a large part of which was the result of bad decisions; many times over at that.

If you've listened to Dave's show for any length of time, you know what was coming next.

You can't reward someone for going in the wrong direction.

Thanks, Dave. It really is that simple!

In fact, when you think about it, the reward for going in the wrong direction is usually given to someone you would rather not get the reward or benefit. Like scoring in the other team's net.

The wrong direction didn't reward you, so much as it helped someone else for which they did nothing to deserve and earn it and in fact, it hurts you. It is a great detriment to your plan and your cause and the effects are far-reaching. It's two-steps forward that you can't to give up and three steps back that you may never regain.

There's more than a life principle at work and certainly more than a financial one, as much as I appreciate Dave's wisdom and enjoy his show. It's just as much a faith and ministry principle.

As much as we can't reward those in are lives and families who are moving in the wrong directing, neither can God reward the believer in the pew, nor the leader within the church when they do the same. And yet, all too often we expect and hope that He will. I have you. You have. And many others have done so as well.

Yet, God doesn't work that way. And we often miss because we are not in alignment with Him, His Word and His Will that causes us to miss the mark. It may not be obvious that we are in the wrong, but slowly and surely, the divergence between His way and our way will make itself known. And then what?

No reward.

Let's pray, this #youthPastorWednesday, for an ever-increasing awareness and closeness to the presence of God. Pray, especially for pastors, that they would not find themselves veering off the course that God has ordained and destined from their lives, let alone going entirely in the wrong direction. Pray for understanding and a depth of knowledge and spiritual maturity to know God's promises and rewards. May wrong assumptions and presumptions regarding spiritual matters and Biblical truth be far from us.

That we would grow in the presence of God
And in the knowledge of His Word
By the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit
For the cause of Jesus Christ.

- PNC