The Greatest Gift

Luke 10:20:  "'Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven'" (NASU).

Christ sent 70 disciples out into Judea and they did great miracles in His name, winning many to Him.  They came back rejoicing in what God had done.  Imagine Jesus meeting and celebrating with them for the work they had done.  But, there was real potential for spiritual pride!
While Jesus wanted to celebrate their victories, he added the perspective that, as great as their victories were, an even greater cause for celebration was their own salvation.  He reminded them that what was done for them through Him was even greater than the work they accomplished.
It occurred to me that Jesus wasn't trying to lessen their accomplishments; He was celebrating with them a reward much greater than even their tremendous effort deserved.  Their greatest reward was something they could not earn.

We can get caught up in the work ethic of our culture, and there's nothing wrong with hard work.  But, we need to remind ourselves and our kids the greatest gift is free.

This was my email devotional today called Parenting by Design from Christianity.com . They're great, simple devotionals for parents and I encourage you to check it out!