What’s Your Motive?

Isn’t it true that motivations are important? I don’t mean “good intentions.” Good intentions are motivations that never actualize. Motivation is the driving force behind our actions. It’s the “why” behind the “what”. But how do we know what the motivation is if we never see the action?

Even a child makes himself known by his acts by whether his conduct is pure and upright.

[Proverbs 20:11]

Your actions are a good defense for your motivations. For instance, when you are motivated by love, you will act according to that love. When you are motivated by brotherhood, you will act like a brother.

A great example of these two motivations came to me when my brother in Christ, Quinn, sent me a text asking why I had not finished this devo by the time we agreed. It wasn’t an easy text to receive but I know that it was motivated by brotherly love. I made a commitment, and he was holding me to that. For him to do anything else would be unloving.

Quinn’s motivation to love me and to see good content continue to go out from the Humbled Daily family is a good motivation and it resulted in pure and upright actions. Here’s the truth friends: Pure motives are made known by loving actions. Paul writes to Timothy:

The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

[1 Timothy 1:5]

This verse is a quick reminder to Timothy that all of his actions should be motivated by love. But this won’t be easy. You see, Timothy is a part of the Church at Ephesus and he’s facing certain persons who are teaching false doctrines (1:3) and wandering into vain discussions (1:6). They are causing problems and this relatively young man has to face them. Simply put, he’s got some hard conversations ahead of him.

But it’s not just that he has to face them that is important, it’s the motivation that drives the action that is the most important. Because, motive is not only important in a court room, it’s important in every room. 

What is your motivation friend? What is the aim of your charge? If you are a Christian, let me remind you that your chief aim in life is to know God and enjoy Him forever. To know His kindness and love toward you even when you were still dead in sin (Romans 5:8). 

Think through your motivations. Why should you know God? Why do you want to know God? Why do you want to share the Gospel with your neighbor? Why do you want to correct your friend who is walking in sin? What’s the motivation driving all of your actions?

I could write volumes on good and bad motivations for all these. You could probably as well. But let me give you just one from God’s word that I find to be extremely helpful for me:

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

[Ephesians 2:8-9]

Sharable Quotes: 

Greg Brooks // Husband, Father and Pastor currently in Texas.

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