Liz Loves Peppermints!

Liz has a major sweet tooth! I can crinkle a plastic wrap, rattle a tick tack container, or shake her treat bag and she will come running to me from anywhere in the pasture. I took advantage of her sweet tooth by teaching her a new trick: to give me a hug. And believe me she is an amazing hugger now. She will hug me again and again and again as long as I have a peppermint to give her after she's done a good job. When I run out she pouts and starts sniffing and muzzling all over my body. She starts at the top and muzzles around in my hair to see if there are any treats left up there, then moves to my jacket and sniffs and licks extra hard at my pockets, and lastly moves to my boots where she comes back up disappointed that there are no sweets for her.

God teaches us a lot of tricks too. For instance the Golden Rule, the Ten Commandments, teaching Sunday School, going to Bible Study, and praying for others are just a few of the "tricks" he has taught us. How many times do we do our trick and then look up to God as if saying, "OK, now where is my reward?" And then we go looking for our reward in recognition, a present, or whatever it is we are looking for.

"Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free." Ephesians 6:8

“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven." Matthew 6:1

God's reward for us is waiting for us in heaven and we need to persevere and keep doing a good job until that time comes. We don't need to be like Liz and keep wanting treat after treat every time we do a good deed. Our peppermint is not instant but eternal!