Actors ask the question, “What’s my motivation?” when they’re researching the character they’ll be playing. They want to know what makes the character “tick” – why do they do what they do.
We need to ask ourselves the next question as disciples of Jesus Christ. What’s our motivation? Why do we do what we do? What makes us tick?
In the closing moments of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said,
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophecy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'” (Matt. 7:21-23)
Those to whom Jesus is referring thought they were doing His will. They looked like they were doing His will, too. But they weren’t. The Lord says that they were actually “workers of lawlessness.” How could that be? Prophesying in His name, casting out demons, and do many mighty works, and even saying “Lord, Lord” are things that would be God’s will – it seems obvious.
So why did the Lord Jesus tell them to depart and that He never knew them? My best guess is that these people did what they did for the wrong reasons – their motivation was wrong. They did the same things as faithful disciples of Jesus, but they did them for themselves and not for the Lord. In other words, they may have prophesied in Jesus’ name so that other people would notice them; or cast out demons in order to take the credit for themselves; or do many mighty works in the hopes of drawing their own following. I’m not saying I know why these people did what they did – I’m saying that whatever they did was for the wrong reasons (for themselves and not for the Lord). The biggest reason I say this is because I know myself, and my motivations aren’t always right (and never pure).
What’s my motivation? Why do I do the will of my Father who is in heaven? Do I preach, as God has called me to, because I want people to see how smart or “spiritual” I am? Am I a pastor-teacher so that people will notice me and give me applause? Do I read and study the Bible because I want to put a sermon or study together? Do I teach Bible to the 7th graders because I want to be liked? I have to examination my motivations. Am I doing it for me or for God?
The only acceptable motivations are these: Love (“If you love me, you will keep my commandments” – John 14:15); Pleasing God (“So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him” – 2 Cor. 5:9); and Glorifying God (“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” – 1 Cor. 10:31). I should do what I do because I love God and want to please and glorify Him – that’s may motivation. To put it another way, I want to do the will of my Father who is in heaven for Him and not for me. I want to preach and pray and study and teach and talk and eat and drink and feed the cat and writhe this blog post with my only motivation being a love for God, and a desire to please and glorify Him.
Living Coram Deo – before the face of God – means I have to know my motivation.
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