It’s always fun during the fair to walk through the various buildings and check out things that people have entered—lots of categories, lots of competition and lots of excitement—and everyone is eager to win that blue ribbon! In Bishop it’s even more exciting to see who’s entered because the chances are pretty good that you’ll know one or more of the exhibitors. You may even find yourself standing in front of a display case slack-jawed exclaiming, “They did that?” Yes, everyone loves to win a prize. It may be a ribbon for something you made, grew, took a picture of or baked. Or perhaps it’s a stuffed animal at the carnival. It doesn’t really matter. Your eye is on that prize and everything you do is focused on being rewarded for the effort you put into winning it. Everyone who enters hopes to win. It’s only natural to do the best we can and anticipate being rewarded for it. That’s what the fair, and life, is all about.
I’m not sure about county fairs in New Testament times, but the people in Corinth knew all about competition. On the off years before and after the Olympic Games, the Isthmian games were held near their town and it was a big event for the entire area. The Apostle Paul used this background to teach about life and its rewards. As thrilling as it was to win a prize during these games, Paul reminds believers in 1 Corinthians 9 that the winner received a wreath that didn’t last—it was actually made from pine leaves. All that hard work and within days everything was dry and brittle and just a memory.
The rewards of the Isthmian games were, to use Paul’s term, perishable. There are others, however, that last forever and these rewards or prizes are worthy of our efforts. And the best part? Everyone can be a winner. The Bible refers to these rewards as crowns: the Crown of Righteousness (2 Timothy 4:8), the Crown of Life (James 1:12), the Crown of Glory (1 Peter 5:4) and the Crown of Rejoicing. (I Thessalonians 2:19) But before we get caught up in winning prizes, we need to remember that salvation is a free gift, not something we work for or do our best to somehow win. Ephesians 2:8-9 reminds us that it isn’t a goal to achieve, but a gift to receive: “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.”
But back to the prizes. These crowns are awarded based on what we do—we earn them and the criterion is our quality of service: Do I love Christ’s appearing? Do I love Him and persevere under trial? Have I remained faithful in service? Are there any I have shared the gospel with that I will see in the presence of Jesus at His coming? If so, I can expect to receive an imperishable crown at the end of my life’s race, a crown to lay at the feet of Jesus, the One who is worthy to receive glory and honor. (Rev. 4:10-11)
Yes, happy days can be here for you and me as we “press on toward the goal of the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14) Congratulations to all the winners at the Tri-County Fair and God’s blessings on those who are faithfully earning their crowns by the life they are living for Jesus.
