DEVOTION- The True Prize
How to receive what we didn't earn
My daughter had taken horseback riding lessons and participated in her first horse show. I was so proud of her hard work. Her beaming smile proved she was proud of her accomplishment, and she went home with four ribbons, including a Reserve Champion.
The following week, she grabbed her highest award ribbon to bring to her lesson. When I asked why, she told me she had won four ribbons, but they didn’t give any to Freckles, the horse, and she wanted to share. It was a sweet thought, but I suggested we give the horse one of her lesser ribbons or show it to him and bring it back home. Didn’t she want to keep her first big prize?
She was adamant. At the stable, she hung the ribbon on Freckles’ stall. In some ways, it seemed like a waste, and in others, it represented the highest prize possible. I was proud of her when she won the ribbon, but I was even more proud of her when she gave it away.
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. . . .
This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.
2 Corinthians 9:6–7, 12, NIV
For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
1 Corinthians 4:7, NIV
Sometimes we find it difficult to give to others because we believe people should receive only what they earn. When we work for something, we believe we deserve to keep it. When we recognize work worthy of payment, we pay accordingly. Knowing that something we give might go to waste makes it harder to share freely. And yet, the Bible teaches us to give with a happy heart to those who haven’t earned it and can’t repay it.
My daughter was more than happy to give away her best ribbon because she realized her dependence on her horse. Without Freckles, she wouldn’t have earned any ribbons. A rider without a horse is useless. She put in the practice and worked hard to learn the skills, but she couldn’t have done it without Freckles.
To give generously, we must shift our thinking. Without God, none of our efforts would be possible. God created everything we work to gain, including the mind and body we use to achieve our goals. We work hard, but nothing is possible apart from Him. Therefore, it only makes sense to give God our very best. And if God tells us to give His share to those around us, we must do it. Sometimes this kind of generosity can seem like a waste, but the Bible teaches it’s the greatest prize, because it expresses our gratitude to God.
Father, let me give generously to others, knowing that all I have is from You. Let my generosity reflect Your love and not my opinion of who is deserving. Don’t let me miss out on the true prize of demonstrating my gratitude to You, my greatest treasure.
How have I given grudgingly or justified not giving to others?
*This devotion is taken from my new devotional, Sunday God Meets Monday Mom: 100 Devotions Connecting Faith and Life, Day 43, Page 101-102, Our Daily Bread Publishers, 2026
If you love these weekly devotions and want a book full of them to help you connect with God in your daily mom life, this book is for you!
I am pleased to share my story of how a Sabbath year disappointment turned into the publishing deal I ever dreamed possible. Sometimes when God says, “STOP,” He needs us to make room for Him to work. If you ever wondered how the Sunday God Meets Monday Mom devotional came to be, it isn’t what you expect!
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See you next week. God Bless!
Erin Greneaux