Seek the Reward, not the Award !

I used to be a huge fan of music award shows. I was captivated by the performances, eagerly anticipating who would be performing, who would be the surprise guest, and if they were about to drop a new song. It was incredibly enticing. However, I never really cared about the winners or their speeches. They were always the same, and most of them seemed a bit disingenuous. Why do I say that? Well, most of them would thank God for allowing them to do this or that. But if you look at the lyrics of the song they won the award for, I believe you’d think the same thing I did. As you can probably tell, I don’t watch award shows anymore.

Let me share a story from Acts 8. There was a man named Simon who lived in Samaria and practiced sorcery. His sorcery amazed the people of Samaria, and he boasted about his abilities. The people were captivated by Simon and even called him the “Great Power of God.” However, that’s an high praise for someone who practiced sorcery. Whew!

Philip, one of the early followers, came to Samaria after being scattered from Jerusalem. He was filled with faith and the Holy Spirit and proclaimed the name of Lord Jesus throughout Samaria. Philip preached and performed signs and wonders of the Heavenly Father, leaving the people of Samaria in awe. Simon was also amazed and began to believe and follow Philip. When apostles Peter and John arrived in Samaria, they laid their hands on the people, and they received the Holy Spirit. This is where the story takes a turn for Simon the sorcerer:

Acts 8:18-23 (NIV) 18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money 19 and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20 Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! 21 You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. 22 Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. 23 For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”

What Simon—and many people like him—misunderstood is this: the gifts of God cannot be bought. They are not for sale, and they are not for self-promotion. Simon wanted the power so he could be exalted. He wanted to appear great in front of the people. But his heart wasn’t surrendered, it was strategic. The gifts of the Heavenly Father are not something you pull out when it’s time to impress others or build your own name. They are not trophies to display or tools to manipulate influence. They flow from relationship, not ambition. Simon wanted the power, but he didn’t want the surrender. He wanted the gifts, but he didn’t want the life of Christ. And that’s the danger—even today. When we crave what God can do through us more than we crave intimacy with Him, we’ve missed the point. Jesus isn’t a means to an award. He is the reward.

The beauty of this passage is not just the warning—it’s the invitation. God isn’t looking for perfect performance; He’s looking for surrendered hearts. He’s not searching for people who want to be seen as powerful. He’s drawing near to those who simply want Him. If you’ve ever found yourself wanting the platform, the recognition, or even the spiritual “results” more than the relationship, there is grace. The Father isn’t pushing you away. He’s calling you closer. The gifts are beautiful, but they were never meant to replace the Giver. Seek Jesus first. Desire His presence more than His power. When your heart is right, everything else will fall into its proper place.

Next step:

In your pursuit of what God can do through you, have you made space to truly pursue Him?

God bless you, God keep you. God loves you and I love you too!