And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. 1 Peter 5:4 (NIV)
Our walk with the Lord and work in His Kingdom are not in vain but have a great prize of reward both in this life here on earth and in the next life when Jesus comes back.
The Lord has promised and prepared crowns for everyone of us who have received Him, live for Him, and serve for the advancement of His purposes on earth.
Just like there are rewards for how we conduct ourselves and the things we engage in here on earth there are rewards for the way we live and all our honest endeavors in the Kingdom of God.
Scripture says; Wealth is a crown for the wise; the effort of fools yields only foolishness. Proverbs 14:24 (NLT)
This means the result and reward of being wise is wealth. The crown or rewards for earthly life and work are temporary – only for our time here. For instance when we leave earth we don’t go with the possessions we gained here.
But everything we engage in concerning the heavenly kingdom lasts forever and has an everlasting reward or crown.
This is what Peter tells us in our theme Scripture – the crown we will receive when the Chief Shepherd (Jesus Christ) appears or comes back. He says it’s a crown of glory that will never fade away. It’s a lasting crown. What’s this crown?
First of all Peter tells us how we get to receive this crown: – By doing our part in contributing to the wellbeing and advancement of others in the flock of God. Carrying out the responsibilities entrusted to us by God willingly, not by constraint, not motivated by what we can gain out of it, not being arrogant or overbearing persons over those we are ministering to, but serving eagerly and cheerfully, being examples (patterns and models of Christian living) to the flock (the congregation) 1 Peter 5:2-3 (AMPC)
Though Peter is here mostly addressing appointed shepherds or pastors or leaders in the church, the admonition includes everyone one in the body of Christ because everyone one of us is a shepherd in a way that we all contribute to the wellbeing and advancement of others in life and the kingdom of God.
Now the crown is those people you have touched, impacted, and changed their lives with Christ for eternity. This is the lasting crown whose glory will never fade.
When all is done, when we leave here the only thing of true lasting joy and fulfillment we will have with us in the kingdom of God is the family of people we helped see, know and experience God.
Philippians 4:1 (NLT) Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stay true to the Lord. I love you and long to see you, dear friends, for you are my joy and the crown I receive for my work.