Consistent Effort Pays Off

It’s pumpkin season. I’ll bet you’ve seen plenty around, but have you seen one that weighed 2,749 pounds?  

My friend saw this huge pumpkin on TV. I had read about it and was shocked to learn that the winner received nine dollars a pound. He had entered the 50^th World Champion *Pumpkin Weigh-off contest in Half Moon Bay, California.

He won by giving his pumpkin patch extra care. He watered up to twelve times a day and fed and fertilized a bit more than usual.

The challenge was not only growth but transportation. It had to be moved from Minnesota to California. When asked why he tries to win, Travis said “I put in the work so I can see a smile on people’s faces . . . ”

Jesus told a parable about the payoff of consistent efforts. People were given different talents to invest. It wasn’t the amount that mattered, but how they handled it (Matthew 25:14-30 NKJV).

I’m thinking about the opportunity we have to read the Bible daily. We’re not all going to be theologians, understanding the minutest details of scripture. But we can get the big picture. God loved us enough to put His eternal goals for us in writing.

Scripture reading is not meant to be burdensome. In fact, there’s a daily payoff if you consider how to apply it to your life. Devotional books have their place. They’re a small daily spiritual jumpstart. Or perhaps they’re a spiritual snack, but what about pursuing “The Bread of Life” or the “Meat of the Word?”

If Jesus called you home today, would you see Him smiling and saying, “Well done (your name), you’ve been faithful over a few things . . . enter into the joy of your Lord” (Matthew 25:21 NKJV).

Isn’t an eternal reward worth more effort than raising a gigantic pumpkin that will eventually perish?

Consistent effort in a pumpkin patch paid off. Maybe it’s time to consider upping your effort for a spiritual payoff by reading your Bible a little more.  

Psalm 119 says it's a win now, but the bigger payoff will be Jesus’ “well done” greeting, along with a smile. 

*Pumpkin Weighing 2,749 Lbs. Wins California Contest, Sets World Record for Biggest Gourd, Online ABC News Report, 10/09/23 (Winner: Travis Gienger of Anoka, Minnesota).

Photo from Pixabay, Pumpkin Orange Harvest