“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” Heb. 6:11 (ESV). God sees your work. It is easy to think that no one appreciates the things we do to help others. In their hurry they may forget to thank us and encourage us for helping them. We can tell ourselves that we don’t really need the encouragement, but it really does make a difference when we are thanked and encouraged.
But if no one else than us, we have the encouragement from this passage that God does not forget what we do. He sees our work, especially when we help His people. And even more, according to this verse from Hebrews, God actually deems our help as loving Him! This is the highest service we can do, and God will remember our efforts.
We also know that God gives a reward to those who bear fruit for Him. Using the metaphor of land to represent our lives, Hebrews 6:7 states:
For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God.
ESV
When you minister to others, you are producing a useful crop for God. Thus, God is saying to you “You fulfilled the great commandment to love me when you helped others and I will reward you.” Rewards from God are better than any thanks we receive from others.
Think back on the times you recently helped the people of God. Are you encouraged by the fact that God saw those times and will reward you?