What's My Motivation?

All too often I am confronted with the internal question of, "Why am I doing this?" I begin an endeavor only to wonder, while in the midst of it, what the purpose is. I am not talking about the product or it's use but the purpose of the act. For instance, I am going to build a fence. Like any project of mine I have a vision of the end result. I take measurements. I choose and acquire materials. I secure the necessary equipment. And I build it according to my vision. The use of the fence is to keep people or animals in or out. Behind that is the purpose I built it. Who am I attempting to satisfy by building the fence? When that question is answered then, and only then, will I know what my motivation is.

I was created for a purpose. That purpose, according to scripture, is to please God. I please God through my good works. Ephesians 2:10 tells us that we were created in Christ to do good works. Scripture also tells us that our works, or righteousness, are but "filthy rags". Hmm. Dilemma.

The operative word in the term "good works" is good. What is it that makes a work good? Is it the size of the work? Is it the result of the work? Is it my conduct while doing the work? Is it the value of the work? Is it the amount of sacrifice I made to achieve the work? While these may be important to man God places no esteem to them. God only sees our motivation and intent.

Philippians 2:3 says, "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit...". In other words we should not be doing anything with the intent of exalting ourselves. That means we don't give money to charity in order to look good. We don't volunteer to a cause to improve our resume. We don't return a wallet or purse in order to receive a reward. We don't get involved with something to bolster our reputation. We should be doing all these things and more for one purpose only. That purpose is to please God.

Will performing good works please others? Will performing good works please ourselves? In both cases the answer is "absolutely". However, even those should not be our motivation. Our motivation needs to be God's pleasure. Pleasing others and ourselves are merely byproducts of the works.

Again, in Ephesians 2:10, the Apostle Paul calls us God's "workmanship" or "masterpiece" in some versions. In the original language the word is poiema. It is where we get our word "poem". A poem is a work of literay art and is one of the most self-expressive forms of art. A poet creates a poem and that poem is an expression of themselves. In the same way God created us and we are the expression of Him. In Genesis 1:26 God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness...". Are we accurate expressions? Sadly, we often are not.

In Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus consolidated the the entire law into two commandments. The first, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." The second, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Jesus referred to the second as to "like" the first. In other words He could have consolidated the law into one command, love God. If one truly loves God then they can only show love to His creations because pure love honors and pleases the recipient. However, Jesus saw the need to specifically point out loving one another because He knows that would be our weak point.

Of all the commandments, loving another is the toughest. It requires the most sacrifice. Can we see the connection? To honor God we must love one another. Is not a gift that required significant sacrifice esteemed higher than the gift that requires little sacrifice? Which gift is more pleasing to the recipient? Which gift honors the recipient the most?

I'm not sure who said it but this statement seems accurate, "The right thing to do is often the hardest thing to do". So, as we live our lives and are challenged regularly to do the right thing, remember that the harder, righteous works are the most honoring and pleasing to God. And that is our motivation.