And behold, I am coming quickly, and my reward is with Me, to give to everyone according to his work. Revelation 22:12

 Children are made to believe that if they are good all year, Santa Claus will bring them presents as a reward for their behavior. Making Santa’s list of “good boys and girls” is a strong bargaining tool for parents who want their kids to behave. I recall one year my sister and I found a few lumps of coal in our stockings. My parents said that each lump of coal represented a gift we would have received if we were good; but that year we fought and gave our parents fits. Well, I can assure you that next year we both were on top of our game! 😊

 It's funny how today’s verse mimics the same thoughts of being good for Santa. But the gifts we’ll receive as children of God, far outweigh any earthly gift Santa could provide. Jesus reminds us that He will reward His children for the good we’ve done in our lifetime. From the generosity of giving to a charity, to providing a hot meal for a homeless person, to doing volunteer work at your church, and many other opportunities to serve, all of these will be recognized on the day of judgment before almighty God. Let me remind you, that doing the works don’t get you into Heaven, it’s a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, asking for God’s forgiveness, and committing your life to Him daily. As children of God, we should be prompted to do good.

 The beautiful thing about God is He blesses us on earth for the good things we do, so you’ll be rewarded twice for having a servant’s heart and showing God’s love to those in your circle of influence. Santa may only come once a year, but God’s gifts and blessings continue throughout the year and into all eternity! What good can you do today to bring honor and praise to your Heavenly Father? God bless!