Your Reward in Heaven: A Lesson in Kindness

You will Find your Reward in Heaven

I was out running an errand for work the other day when something beautiful happened.

As I was walking through the parking lot, I noticed an elderly gentleman who looked a little confused. He was trying to find the medical office next door. I started to explain how to get there, but then thought, Why not just walk with him?

It was a beautiful sunny day, with one of those warm breezes that feels like a comforting hug. Besides, a little walk sounded pretty nice.

As we made our way across the parking lot, he told me he would soon be 96 years old. He definitely didn’t look 96—whatever 96 is supposed to look like! I couldn’t help but think about everything he must have seen and experienced over the years. I told him my mum will be 80 this year.

“That’s still young!” he joked.

He wasn’t walking very fast, and that was okay. Making sure he got where he needed to go suddenly felt more important than my errand. At one point, he laughed and told me he was already walking at his “warp speed.” I told him I’d go ahead and make sure the medical office was actually open before we walked all the way there. Thankfully, it was. So I walked back to meet him, and we continued on together.

Then he stopped.

He looked at me kindly and said, “Thank you for your kindness. You will find your reward in Heaven.”

I don’t think anyone has ever said that to me before. And for some reason, it hit me right in the heart.

Was God speaking to me through this sweet 96-year-old man? Or was I just extra emotional because the new promotional booklets that had arrived at work that morning looked fabulous? Maybe a little of both :) But his words stayed with me.

What does it actually mean to “find your reward in Heaven”?

The Bible talks about heavenly reward in several places. Jesus reminds us that God sees what is done quietly and faithfully, even when no one else notices. In Matthew 6, He speaks about doing good not for recognition from others, but because our Father sees what is done in secret.

Maybe that’s what made this little encounter feel so meaningful.

Kindness doesn’t have to be grand. It doesn’t need an audience. Sometimes it’s simply slowing down when you’re in a hurry. Walking beside someone who needs a little help. Giving a few minutes of your day without expecting anything in return.

And maybe the point isn’t to do kind things because we’re looking for a reward at all. Maybe it’s simply about noticing the person God has placed in front of us.

I didn’t walk across that parking lot expecting anything in return. I was just happy to help someone who needed it. But in the end, I think he gave something to me too—a reminder that even the smallest moments of kindness matter.

And sometimes, slowing down for someone else might just be the most important errand of the day.