Heavenly reward makes better workers

There is a surprising absence of writing about the saint’s heavenly activity. At times we catch a glimpse through the eyes of a shocked prophet so riveted on God he sees little else. However, a fascinating description of our heavenly activity is referenced in Jesus' parable about the faithful steward. There he promises an increase in responsibility for anyone who has been faithful on earth. And what constitutes this responsibility? “You shall have authority over ten cities.” (ESV, Luke 19:17) Whether you take the parable literally when Jesus says, “Engage in business until I come,” or you recognize the parable is in response to the question of the Kingdom’s immediacy, there is a link between the faithfulness of the servants on earth and the type of reward - an increase in authority over tangible things (ESV, Luke 19:13).

So long as employers and employees view their work as limited to this brief sphere, with a vague notion of judgment and reward, they will ever consider spiritual investment at odds with business investment. If reward is chiefly through ‘spiritual’ activities, business people must forgo any hope of eternal reward, for certainly the most spiritual-the pastors, monks and missionaries-will far outweigh their meager reward at the last day. With sullness caused by the age-old dichotomy that they chose to do good on earth instead of heaven, they will march on with no hope of everlasting advancement or value for all their hard work past the grave.

Instead let us consider ourselves to receive wages from the Lord now, who takes note of our performance, gives feedback on our efforts, and will at last promote us in proportion to the way we lived upon the earth. A company whose members look for their reward from God will endure greater challenges and labor more free of earthly greed than those who’s hope for reward is only in this life.

When I imagined heaven growing up, it was the typical view. Sit on a cloud, sing songs to God. Not very exciting, and certainly not connected to anything I was doing on earth, or that I wanted to do on earth. It was C.S. Lewis' description of heaven in his last chronicle, The Last Battle that jolted my expectation about what heaven might be like. In Lewis' tale, there is little different about the setting - in fact the characters aren’t immediately aware anything’s changed. But they change, and this constitutes the great joy ({lewis-battle}).

As a business owner I want to remember the links between earthly and heavenly life and the hope of reward at Jesus' hand. And I want my employees to consider these things as well. I am also conscious that both myself and they will need reminders of grace to offset the encouragement of reward, but will leave that for futher discussion.

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