Pension plans here on earth are based upon measurable metrics like:
- Number of years served
- Maximum salary received
- Total salary received
- Job title
- Job responsibilities
The public pensions frequently take the maximum benefit received over the course of employment and give the pensioner a fraction of that amount. What a deal!
God’s economy is upside down compared to man’s, however. His pension plan metrics include:
- Gentleness
- Longing for righteousness
- Purity of heart
- Peacemaking
- Persecution for the sake of righteousness
- Being a loving witness to the lost
Using these metrics, God’s (hypothetical) pension plan might read as follows. He makes two measurements: (1) He uses these metrics and measures us for the very best day that we ever had on earth- call that our peak metric; (2) He uses these metrics and computes the average metric for our entire lifetime- call this our average-metric. He could then compute our heavenly reward as
Reward = 1,000 × peak-metric + 10,000,000 × average-metric
The thief on the cross who asked Christ to remember him when he came into his glory had one good day that will be rendered to him as a reward beyond his salvation. And Paul, who was concerned that he run the good race for the entirety of his life following his miraculous conversion will receive a remarkable reward for both measures.
