Well Done!

There are many verses in the Bible that I love, and it is hard to pick a favourite, but for me, one in my ‘top ten’ would be:
“Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” Matthew 25:21

This verse works for me on two levels. Firstly, it is always good to hear that someone thinks you have done something well, and that is especially true if the words come from the lips of a loved one. Some parents are good at doing this with their children, but not all! Some married couples are good at this with each other, but not all. Some friends are good at this, but not all. Get the picture? We all like to be appreciated, but we don’t always rise to the occasion ourselves, do we? In our culture, we may be more inclined to make a sarcastic comment, with a wry smile, in the hope that the recipient will see it as a compliment. It’s not quite the same as a ‘well done’, but it gets us out of the ‘problem’ of appearing soppy.

Secondly, I like this verse because of the reward that goes with it, contained in the words “Come and share your master’s happiness.” The thought of doing so well in this life, that Jesus’ reward is to spent eternity with Him, and therefore your loved ones, makes this a great part of the ‘Well done’! The King James Version puts it this way, “Enter into the joy of the Lord.” Now for me, that makes it worth the effort to be an encourager, and make sure I tell my friends and loved ones, “Well done” when it is deserved, and often, because of the reward which is inherently linked in the verse. Now think about the verse another way. What harm do you think it will do, here on earth, or in heaven, if we don’t speak our encouragement with a ‘well done’? I would suggest the harm caused would be immense, immeasurable and possibly with eternal consequences!

So, don’t be afraid to tell your friend(s) or loved one(s) that they have done something well. Encourage them. There is an earthly reward, right here, right now, but yet another, and greater reward to come.