Chap. 334---Rewards and Punishments

"Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my
Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
Matthew 25:34.
The Saviour presents before us the scene of the last judgment when the reward is
given to those upon His right hand, and the sentence of condemnation to those upon
His left hand. The righteous are represented as wondering what they have done for
which they are to be so liberally rewarded. They had had the abiding presence of
Christ in their hearts; they had been imbued with His Spirit, and without conscious
effort on their part; they had been serving Christ in the person of His saints, and had
thereby gained the sure reward. But they had not had in view the reward they were
to receive, and the expectation of it had been no part of the motive that had actuated
their service. What they did was done from love to Christ and to their fellow-men,
and Christ identifies Himself with suffering humanity, and accounts that all deeds
done in sympathy and compassion and love to men, are done to Him....
In a subordinate sense we should all have respect unto the recompense of the
reward. But while we appreciate the promise of blessing, we should have perfect
confidence in Jesus Christ, believing that He will do right, and give us reward
according as our works have been. The gift of God is eternal life, but Jesus would
have us not so anxious concerning rewards, as that we may do the will of God
because it is right to do it, irrespective of all gain....
Those who will receive the most abundant reward will be those who have
mingled with their activity and zeal, gracious, tender pity for the poor, the orphan,
the oppressed, and the afflicted.... There are about us those who have a meek and
lowly spirit, the spirit of Christ, who do many little things to help those around them,
and who think nothing of it; they will be astonished at last to find that Christ has
noticed the kind word spoken to the disheartened, and taken account of the smallest
gift given for the relief of the poor, that cost the giver some self-denial. The Lord
measures the spirit, and rewards accordingly, and the pure, humble, childlike spirit
of love makes the offering precious in His sight."