I worked for over 20 years in the fast paced world of high tech.  Results were what mattered, especially in the area where I worked, sales and marketing.  Efforts were simply a means to an end.  While our performance evaluations did examine competencies like our leadership skills, the emphasis was always on sales results.  “Did you achieve your sales objective?”  People that did not achieve their goals, typically lost their jobs. 

The economy revolves around a very fragile stock market that rewards businesses for quarterly financial results.  Problem with this is that senior executives are often motivated to invest in short term initiatives that deliver short term results.  Eventually this short term emphasis on short term productivity and profits can bring about the demise of a business.  Executives with 3 year contracts are financially incented to focus on short term initiatives not long term viability.  When you spend enough time in this “race for results”, you can forget that what the world rewards and what God rewards are quite different.

Jesus wants us to be focused on doing the right thing, irrespective of the ultimate result.  Therefore the path we take to achieve results is indeed more important than the result.  If we for example manipulate accounting records in order to inflate our quarterly result, then we are acting dishonorably.  If we take advantage of competitive intelligence we have acquired dishonestly to achieve our business results then we have failed to act with honor and justice.  If we treat people with disrespect as we strive to achieve our goals, then once more we have failed in God’s eyes.

The world’s way and God’s way are often at odds.

The world focuses on the short term result; the stock market is a perfect example of that model in action every financial quarter.

God, however, wants us to focus on the promise of eternal life and everything we do should be focused on our long term achievement of God’s eternal promise.

Here’s some Scripture that is worth meditating on that proves that God will reward honest, righteous behavior, not a set of results.  We may never see the results of our good actions.  If you spend every day for the rest of your life praying for those most in need of God’s mercy, will you see the results?  Probably not…but God will certainly reward your righteous, loving behaviour.

Psalm 18:24  The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

Isaiah 3:10-11  Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds.  Woe to the wicked!  Disaster is upon them!   They will be paid back for what their hands have done.

Jeremiah 17:10  “I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve.

Romans 2: 5-8  But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.  God “will give to each person according to what he has done.”   To those who by persistence in doing good, seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.  But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.

Galatians 6: 7-9  Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.  The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.  Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Colossians 3: 23-24   Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.

James 1: 12   Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.  

Revelation 2: 23  I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.

Revelation 22: 11-12 “…let him who does right continue to do right; and let him who is holy continue to be holy.   “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.”