Have you ever thought of the various motivators in your life?

Early in my life I found my father to be a great motivator. His way of motivating is not one I would quickly recommend. I remember one morning when my brother and I were making a little too much noise, a little too early in the morning. Dad wanted to encourage us to “Quite Down!”. His way of motivating us to a more docile nature was to cause our heads to come together with such force as to render us almost unconscious. This was one of the more unkind ways my dad had of motivating his kids.

Thank God that all the people in my life weren’t so barbaric in their way of motivating me.

I remember Mrs. Klewer. She was my 8th grade English teacher who motivated me to learn to read. She allowed me to get a passing grade if I would read a short story of about 20 pages. The reading material was probably on the 1st or 2nd grade level. However, she knew that even this was a great challenge for me and encouraged me in my struggle. As soon as I finished the short story, she put another one in front of me. And so on and so on, until I was getting straight A’s in her class and found a love for reading which I never knew I had. Throughout my high school and college career I would get straight A’s in English because of the gentle nudging (motivating) of someone who could have overlooked my potential but didn’t.

Motivators, some times they come in the form of the Policeman who writes the citation motivating us to “slow down”. In other times they are the kind hearts around us who cheer from the sideline of our life, “You can do it!”. We are all motivated by something. Money. Recognition. Love. Personal Ambition. This list could get very long and would change depending on the person making it.

I wonder though, how often I have allowed God’s Purpose be my motivation. His Purpose takes me beyond my personal goals. Why do I want to be a good preacher? Is it to be heard of men and recognized as such? Or is it so I may persuade men and women to come to the Lord?

Why do I want to be a good father? Is it so my children will call me blessed and so I would have the respect of my neighbors as being a good father? Or is it so my children will learn of my example that their Heavenly Father too is One who can be trusted to keep them and minister to their needs.

God’s Purpose.

What is God’s purpose in my life? I want to find it. I want to know it. I want my life to be lead by his purpose. I don’t want to chase what other men chase. For the thing other men chase is personal fulfillment. Personal fulfillment is a beast with no tail. You cannot catch it. It is an illusion. It’s a fantasy.

I am convinced that true fulfillment only comes in the fashion of God’s Purpose in our lives and in our ministries.

His Purpose must be my motivation in all that I do. For without His Purpose, everything accomplished in my life will be in vain. I want to make a difference. I want my life to matter. I’m still young enough (39) to want to see great things happen. I’m not the old dreamer yet. I am still the young idealistic visionary who believes he can make a difference. But in what? The things which would propel me up the ladder of success according to man’s ideals? Or the things which would make an eternal difference in peoples lives.

Jesus’ purpose was not selfish. It was selfless! What motivated him was peoples needs and the will of the Father. Nothing else and nothing more. Personal ambition never once led him into a mountain to pray. It never once cause blinded eyes to open or thousands to be fed of a little boys lunch. Personal ambition will never bring the miraculous into our lives and ministries.

What it does bring is short term success and a long term lack of fulfillment. I must be motivated by His Purpose. If I truly want my life to matter. If I really want to make a difference. If I absolutely want to have true success in my life, then my every action must be motivated by the Purpose of Christ.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matt. 6:33)