Visualizing the Victor's Crown

"And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away." - 1 Peter 5:4 (NKJV)

Peter uses a specific Greek word here for "crown"—"stefanos"—describing the victor's crown. If you could imagine the Olympic games and imagine that the reward is not a trophy, but a crown placed on the victor's head, this is the imagery Peter is painting. He's saying, "If you are faithful in your duties, if you're a good example to the flock, if you lead the way you should—not in a domineering way, not for dishonest gain, but willingly - the Chief Shepherd will reward you with a victor's crown."

Mark Batterson writes, "In 1992, a Canadian swimmer named Mark Tewksbury won the gold medal in the 200-meter backstroke at the Barcelona Olympics. When he stepped onto the gold medal stand, it wasn’t the first time he had done so. He had stood on the gold medal stand the night before the race when he imagined it before it happened. He had visualized every detail of that race in his mind’s eye, including his come-from-behind victory by a fingertip. The Australian sailing team did the same thing in preparation for the 1983 America’s Cup. The coach made a tape of the Australian team beating the American team three years before the actual race. He narrated the race with the background sound of a sailboat cutting through the water. Every member of the team was required to listen to that tape twice a day for three years. By the time they set sail from San Diego Bay, they had already beaten the American team 2,190 times in their imagination." [From:  https://www.markbatterson.com/visualization/]
 
Peter is essentially saying, "Visualize that day. Remember that crown that the Chief Shepherd will give you? Visualize it. This is how you get there: not by listening to all of the desires of every single person in your church, but by listening to the job description that Jesus, the Chief Shepherd, has given you. Lead the flock, feed the flock, be an example to the flock, and let Jesus hold you accountable for what you do."

James 3:1 reminds us: "Let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment." God holds leaders accountable for more, but remember the reward: by doing what God said to do, being faithful to what He said—that victor's crown that we can one day lay at the feet of Jesus. Visualize the Victor's Crown.

Reflection Question: How does keeping the eternal reward in mind change your motivation for serving faithfully today, even when it's difficult?

"Heavenly Father, thank You for the promise of reward for faithful service. Help me to keep my eyes on that unfading crown of glory that awaits all who serve You well. When the work gets difficult, when people don't understand, when I'm tempted to give up, remind me that You see every act of faithful service. I look forward to the day when I can lay whatever crown You give me at the feet of Jesus, my Chief Shepherd. In Jesus' Name, amen."

Adapted from "God's Ideal for Servant Leaders" (1 Peter 5:1-4): https://www.joshfranklin.org/media/wbzxn7b/22-god-s-ideal-for-servant-leaders-1-peter-5-1-4