I often say there are no “rewards” waiting for us in heaven, and I think sometimes it makes people uneasy. The belief that we are going to get stuff when we get to heaven is so far-reaching in our culture, that hearing otherwise is unsettling.
I haven’t always believed this, but I do now. I used to wonder about stars in our crowns, and the size of mansions, and so on.
Then I read that (as far as the afterlife goes) the Bible never mentions “rewards”, plural, but only “reward”, singular. There is a reward, but there are not rewards. What is that reward? Jesus! He is our great reward (Genesis 15:1).
After I read this, I wondered what else really matters. If I get more stars in my crown, that doesn’t matter, because I will be laying my crown at the feet of Jesus (Revelation 4:10). And what would I need a bigger mansion for? God Himself will be living with me, and in me, and I will be completely alive in Him. Why would square footage matter in heaven?
The Apostle Paul listed all the things going for him in Philippians 3, and he called them all dung compared to knowing Jesus. Nothing else really satisfies.
Besides, wealth on earth is measured in gold. Gold is so worthless in heaven that it is used as pavement. How could the things of value on earth matter in heaven?
Although I don’t completely understand all the references to “getting stuff”, I think we try hard to prove the existence of rewards because we want them. People who work hard at doing good and avoiding evil want to be rewarded more than those “nominal” believers. We dislike the parable of Jesus that says all people will get the same thing, at the end of the day, no matter how long they worked (Matthew 20).
Would you still do all the things you do if you weren’t going to be rewarded for them? Would Jesus plus nothing be enough for you? I believe we will be rewarded for the good things we do, even the little things (Matthew 10:42), but I don’t think it will come in the form of heavenly real estate or gold on our heads. It will be the satisfaction of making a difference in someone’s life. It will be the privilege of loving others, working with Jesus to bring life to others. Let that motivate you to love and serve, rather than some promise of “stuff”.