Awards

December 3, 2018

It’s 10:00 pm and I just got home from our granddaughter’s annual swim team banquet. She came home with four new letters for her school jacket, second and first place ribbons, her name on the scoreboard, and assorted other prizes. The coaches do their best to make sure every girl is encouraged and recognized without resorting to participation awards, making it a memorable evening for each one. I remember when our children were swimming; how important the awards were at the time for building self-esteem and confidence. I also know that those awards are packed away in boxes in attics and basements, if they’ve even been saved. Our kids grew up and moved on.

Often, that never happens. The world is filled with adults who are still striving for their place, slaving away at a career, chasing an elusive dream, doing everything in their power to win a bauble, an award, money, fame, or power—something that will validate their existence, something that shouts out, “Hey! Look at me! I’m worth something!” Politicians keep passing laws to make life better even as the problems they supposedly solve produce more problems requiring more laws. “Hey! Look at me! I’m accomplishing something significant! Maybe I’ll be remembered.”

The prizes for which we strive tarnish with age, fade into insignificance even as we chase down a new goal, a new mountain to climb.

St. Paul told of the athletes of his day who pursued a crown that faded; a wreath of approval, and said, “everyone who competes for the prize...do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.” (I Corinthians 9:25 NKJV). 

Last night, the youth and adults of our School of the Arts presented a program of Christmas music for the residents of a local senior residence. The people loved it, and were grateful that they were remembered and honored as the kids visited with them afterwards.

I can’t help but see the contrast between the two evenings. As much as I love watching the kids compete, except for those few who in the future may long for their glory days, their rewards for all their effort are perishable, and will soon be forgotten. If that happens, the reward has proven even more fragile than ever, not having accomplished its purpose of helping propel them into greater achievement. But the reward of giving oneself for the sake of others is imperishable, and while I am thankful to have witnessed tonight the giving of awards, I am even more thankful for the eternal rewards earned last night. They will remain, bright and shining even as the years go by.