“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”    (Matthew 25:34).

Author Bob Goff points out in his wonderful book, Everybody Always, that the second floor windows at Disney World are dedicated to the people who helped make the Magic Kingdom a reality: the architects, builders, artists, and accountants who’s dedicated work moved the dream from Disney’s  imagination to a real, geographical place.

Several Bible passages suggest that our rewards in the Kingdom are very much like these windows, except that a Kingdom inheritance  is way better  than a cool-looking window.

Hopefully we don’t need to be reminded that our rewards and inheritance must never, ever be linked to our salvation. Adoption into God’s family is initiated and sustained entirely by grace.  But once we’ve been received into the Kingdom, the One who is “making all things new” has plenty of work for us to do.  And he promises rewards for those who are faithful.*  Scripture doesn’t spell out exactly what our inheritance will look like, but certainly it’ll be sweeter than a  window at The Magic Kingdom.

Bob suggests there might be some value in imagining what our Kingdom “window” might say: “Lover of outcasts, and healer of bodies”, “Teacher of children, and a vessel of cheer”, “Builder of homes and leader of men”,  or “Fixer of cars and example of love”.  The happy souls in Matthew 25 seemed to have been surprised about their own rewards: “‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality?’… And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you were doing it to me!’’”

However it plays out, we can be certain that God has plenty of work for us to do, and that everything we do matters: “Therefore, my dear friends, stand your ground, and don’t hold back. Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort.” (1 Corinthians 15:58)

*1 Corinthians 3:1-13 & Matthew 25:21.