A NEW CAR....Just Kidding

   A couple of years ago some friends and I attended the Fort Worth stock show and rodeo. While we were waiting for the rodeo to start we went to the exhibit hall to look around. One of the girls stopped by a booth one of the local radio stations that was having a drawing to win a Ford Ranger. She had always wanted that kind of truck so she and her boyfriend began filling out entry forms. As we walked around, she continued filling out as many entry forms as she could in order to better her chances. Turns out it worked! 

  The next week she gets a call from the radio station telling her she is their grand prize winner. She was ecstatic. That afternoon when she when to claim her prize her joy turned to sorrow. She discovered that she was not eligible for the prize after all. Apparently on the back of the form she had filled in the fine print, it required the winner to be 18 in order to win the truck. She was only 17 at the time. Instead of coming home with a new truck, she came home empty handed. (She turned down the free t-shirt that offered her.) 

   It is one of the saddest stories I know because it couldn’t have happen to nicer girl. But it illustrates what Paul is saying in 2 Timothy 2:5. Only those that follow the rules can win. Unfortunately many will not receive the crown of life because they have not obeyed the rules that God has laid down. All the work they have done will be in vain because they disobeyed God by not following his standard. Make sure that you are living according to God’s rules so you don’t miss out on your reward!