What's Your Motivation?

    
        Since my last post, I've heard several great lessons from God's word.   What a great opportunity and privilege we have here in this country to worship our God in freedom!  How wonderful it is that Americans have this right!  I am increasingly thankful for this freedom.  It grows ever more precious to me.  I pray we never take it for granted and that this precious freedom is one we will always be able to keep. 
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      Recently I heard about a young man who stated he was going to steal something he wanted.  The adult he was speaking to asked him why he would do something like that.  This young man (and I'm talking around 10 or so) said simply,  "Because I can."  How sad is this!
      All too often people do harm or take advantage of others simply because they can.  Maybe it is an issue of pride or a desire to exert power or influence over someone -- which I guess is still an issue of pride.   I suppose this old world has heard the phrase "because I can" many times throughout its history.
       This is not always linked to harmful misdeeds.  Sometimes those who perform acts of kindness will say the same thing when asked why they have done so.  Often those who have done a good deed, will say "I was in the right place at the right time and had the opportunity, so I just did what I could."   The idea of doing what we can when we can is often a driving force for good in this world.        
      Most of the time though, the reasoning for our actions goes far beyond such a simple statement.  This is true no matter what the deed -- good or bad.   We don't usually act on what we can do unless we want to do it.  If the ability is there; but the desire is not -- then the deed often goes undone.
       Some acts are motivated by greed, envy or revenge.  Other are performed because of a sense of duty, in honor of something or someone, or a desire to do the right thing.   We all do things for a variety of reasons.  
      Inspired by the Holy Spirit, the apostle Paul addressed this subject with the Corinthian Christians in his first letter to them.   It seems some of these early Christians became overly concerned with their spiritual gifts.  Perhaps they had argued over whose gift was most valuable.  
      But in I Corinthians Chapter 12 Paul says that all Christians are important -- all of them had a responsibility to the church  -- to help it grow -- to reach out to others -- to teach -- to perform acts of benevolence -- to stand up for the truth -- to avoid false doctrine -- and to bring others to Christ.  Paul wanted each of them to know how valuable they were to the Lord.  
       This is as true for us today as it was for the Corinthians back then. We are each incredibly valuable to Jesus and we all have our part to do.  We are all uniquely created to serve Him in our own way.  Christ needs us all to bring His light into the world.   We matter to Him.  
      At the end of chapter 12, Paul tells them to "earnestly desire the higher gifts.  And I will show you a more excellent way."  Thus begins the beautiful chapter on love -- I Corinthians 13.   It is here that Paul addresses a Christian's motivation.   See Paul tells us that is doesn't matter how outstanding our gifts are,  it WHY we use them that is important.  It is our motivation that matters.
      Listen to the wonderful words of truth in I Corinthians 1:1-3:  "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging symbol.  And if I have a prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  If I give away all I have and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing."
      See it doesn't matter how well we say something, if we don't speak with love in our hearts, then our words are meaningless.  They are just so much noise.   And regardless of how smart we are or how sure we are of  God's power if we don't treat others with kindness and love we are ... well God said it (through Paul) -- we are nothing.  
       What about those charitable acts we mentioned?  If we do them simply because we can or out of a sense of duty .. well, if no love is involved, we don't gain anything in God's eyes.  It is our love for Him that should guide us to do what we can when we can.  
        Jesus told us the greatest commandment is love.  It is what matters to Him most.  If we love Him -- truly love Him - that love will lead us to obedience.  If we love Him we will keep His commandments.  (John 14:15)  That love will guide all our actions.  Our words will ring true and give hope to others.  
       Love is the more excellent way Paul was talking about.  With love in our hearts we will be motivated to use our knowledge and faith to teach others about Christ and to encourage those who are weak.  With love as our reason for every action every day .. we will gain grace and favor with our God.  
       Love lasts forever.  It is what we should build our lives upon.  Any other reason renders us hopeless.   We know there are so many excellent verses about love.    But I will only leave you with two.  
           "Let all that you do be done in love."  
                                            (I Corinthians 16:14) 
          
         "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor
          uncircumcision counts for anything, but only 
           faith working through love."   
                                                           (Galatians 5:6)

So I ask you ....... what's your motivation?

Christ above all things, 
Robin