Chasing Rainbows

So I have been thinking about rewards, particularly that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. I remember when I discovered that the pot of gold more than likely wasn't real. I was probably 6-7ish. We lived in the cute little white house with built-in shelving and this wonderful closet/cupboard that we spent many an afternoon in. We were completely surrounded by fields and more than enough room for imagination. It had just rained and there was a beautiful rainbow spanning over the house and into the neighboring field.

Well, I was no dummy. I had heard the stories and I knew what was at the end of that rainbow. Gold. I could even see where it ended! This was my lucky day. I grabbed dad's shovel (no mean feat at 7ish) and headed into the field. Funny thing about rainbows, the closer you get to the end, the further away the end gets. I started running to catch up to it before it disappeared but the faster I ran, the faster the rainbow moved until it was gone completely. I scanned the sky in vain, hoping for the faint sign to instant treasure, but to no avail. I was so disappointed.

I headed back to the house and had myself a think. There was no way that a huge pot of gold could keep moving with the rainbow. It's heavy. So the gold had to be in the first spot I had seen the 'end' of the rainbow. With renewed zeal I shouldered the shovel once again and headed for the field. Fortunately, I had a father who saw me and had sense enough to ask what I was doing. "Well duh, I'm going to dig up the pot of gold!" He chuckled, put his arm around me and proceeded to destroy my dream. Leprechauns and pots of gold at the end of rainbows just don't exist.

I like to think that I grew up a little that day, but I'm not so sure. I find myself continually looking for that pot of gold. Not in the instant wealth department, but in the general things of life. If I do all the right things and live correctly, then the things we want will just fall into place. If I marry the right guy at the right time and in the right place, then the kids, house, financial security and happily ever after are sure to follow. It's what the story says right? Pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

So why is it that I can look around and find several examples of people who did not do the right things, perhaps got the kids and marriage order mixed up, had issues with the church, etc. and yet they have the things that I want the most? Doesn't seem fair right?

It's so easy to sit back and judge other people's lives. Easy because we haven't lived them. We haven't walked in their shoes and they haven't walked in ours. But is that what this life is all about?

I had myself another think. The only reward that matters in this life, is that we make it to the next. That somewhere, somehow, we've repented enough times and made enough corrections with our faulty selves that the Lord can forgive us, wash us clean, and take us in his arms to live with him and all the rest of the people that are important to us. That's the real reward isn't it? The real gold at the end of the rainbow. So does it matter so much if we messed up the order so long as we get it all straightened out in the end?