Uncertain awards, secure awards.
Movies, stars, fashion and glamour - that's Hollywood's 80^th Academy Awards this February. The Academy Award of Merit (or 'Oscar') was instituted in 1928. Each statuette is a knight holding a crusader's sword standing on a reel of film with 5 spokes representing Actors, Writers, Directors, Producers and Technicians. The statuettes are made of gold plated bronze, stand 13.5 inches tall and weigh 8.5 lb. The Oscar is not just a mantelpiece decoration, but valued for recognising talent. To suggest that it is just a bit of mutual backslapping and self-congratulation is cynical. It's good to celebrate human creativity and artistic expression, which are to be considered as gifts from God to the world.

However, there's been turmoil in the run up to this year's Oscars. The awards are due to be presented at a special ceremony on 24^th February. A number of actors have already taken a principled stand to not cross picket lines of the Golden Globe awards out of sympathy for the screenwriters who are striking for more pay. The rising tide of protest has overshadowed the forthcoming Oscars ceremony. As the awards are perhaps the most prestigious for the acting world a failure to turn up may be a serious career mistake. But then again, there's no guarantee of receiving an award, even if you are on the short list.

How different life is as a follower of Christ! Here we find an award that's sure and certain as it has been won by Jesus Christ and is a gift to his followers. The award is a result of his work on the cross, not our work in life. All who trust in Jesus' work on the cross discover that they are on track for an award kept secure in heaven. To help us understand this the apostle Paul contrasts athletes who compete before crowds of spectators with Christian disciples running the race of faith: "everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever" (I Cor 9v25). The crowns awarded at the Isthmian games were made from celery (or similar) and soon wilted and died, whereas the crown of life is for eternity.

Enjoy the Oscar award ceremony: it's a good bit of fun and recognises talent. But invest in the crown of life as the only secure award and one that outstrips all others.

Paul Kingman