What’s My Motivation?

Thoughts on the Sabbath School Lesson for 6.9.12

Why do we do what we do? What motivates any of us to do anything?

People are trying to motivate us to do things all the time. They want us to spend our money at their stores. They want us to buy their product or drive their car. Teachers try to motivate their students to study and do their work. Bosses try to motivate their employees to work hard. Parents want to motivate their children to behave.

There are a couple of problems though. One, there are really only a few motivations available: hate, greed, fear, guilt, and love. And, two, some are more effective than others, depending on the situation.

For example, hate is only going to work in limited and specific situations, and most of those are not socially acceptable. Greed is more adaptable so it can work in more situations. Advertisers have really mastered using greed as a motivator. Fear and guilt may seem really effective at first, but they don’t usually create any long term or permanent behaviors.

If fear were more effective, no one would ever drive over the speed limit, smoke cigarettes, drink and drive, over eat, or any number of other things.

And if guilt worked every time, nobody would ever disobey a parent, make hurtful comments to a loved one, or break a promise.

Love, of course, is the only motivator that we should ever need or use, but it’s also the most difficult for us to use consistently.

Think about this: what motivates you and me to witness about Jesus? Well, it’s almost never going to be hate, and it’s probably not greed, but might it be fear or guilt? And, does it really matter why we witness, as long as we witness?

If you’re a parent, you’ve probably have said to your children when they grumbled about doing a task that you really didn’t care whether or not they wanted to do it as long as they did it. Could Paul have been saying the same thing in Philippians?

“Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.” Philippians 1:15-18

I think Paul is saying something that parents and teachers say all the time. “Don’t you worry about what anybody else is doing; you just worry about yourself.” It’s none of our business what anybody else’s motives are. That’s God’s business.

As to our own motives, why do we want to serve God? Is it because we’re afraid that God will punish us if we don’t? Is it because we’ll feel guilty if we don’t serve? If either of those is true, then we’re missing the point. We’re still trying to prove to God that we’re worthy of His love and that’s legalism.

“Legal religion will not answer for this age. We may perform all the outward acts of service, and yet be as destitute of the quickening influence of the Holy Spirit as the hills of Gilboa were destitute of dew and rain. We all need spiritual moisture; and we need also the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness to soften and subdue our hearts. We are always to be as firm as a rock to principle. Bible principles are to be taught, and then backed up by holy practice.” (E.G. White, Testimonies for the Church 6:417, 418)

Another issue is that no matter what it is, when we are motivated by fear and/or guilt, we don’t usually continue doing those things. They become a burden and we eventually quit, especially when we’re talking about something as personal as witnessing.

Witnessing because we have to instead of because we’re so in love with Jesus that we can’t help but tell people about Him is probably going to look and feel very differently to the people around us and to us. Have you ever been just talking to someone and suddenly that person’s whole look and attitude change? In the course of the conversation, you hit on something that he or she was passionate about. You can tell by the look on his face, by the excitement in his voice. He sits up straighter, and his eyes light up. There is no mistaking how he feels about that subject.

What do you look and sound like when you talk about Jesus? Are you preoccupied thinking about what to fix for dinner or what you feel you should be doing at work? Or are you “in the zone” talking about Someone you love more than you love your own life? Do you get excited when you talk about Jesus and what He’s done for you? Does every conversation you have come back around to Jesus because He’s always on your mind. Is His name always on the tip of your tongue?

I want to share this story with you. In an article he wrote for the Discipleship Journal,  author Jim White says, 

“I know a man named Hubert Mitchell who memorized the entire New Testament. As a former missionary in his sixties, he spent his days in downtown Chicago, going from office building to office building. Inside he would ask secretaries if he could have five minutes with their boss to talk about a personal matter. Frequently he would be ushered into the boss's office, and he would say, ‘I only have five minutes, but I want to ask you, did you read your Bible before you came to work this morning?’
“The boss would look at him as if he were crazy, and say,
‘No.’
“Hubert would smile and answer, ‘Sir, you sure missed a blessing, didn't you? I'd just like to share with you what God spoke about to me in the Bible this morning.’ He would open a New Testament and hand it to the boss, and say, ‘Let's start right here.’ Then Hubert would sit back and start quoting it word for word.
“The boss would listen, amazed. After five minutes, Hubert would say, ‘My time's up and I've got to go. Wasn't that a blessing?’ On most occasions the boss would ask him to stay longer, and they would talk.
“Hubert Mitchell led men to Christ all over downtown Chicago that way, because God's word was burning in his heart.”[1]

I want to be so in love with Jesus that I can’t keep Him to myself. I want everyone to know that He loves me so much that He couldn’t imagine His life without me, so He left Heaven and died so that we could be together forever. Jesus did it for you too. Don’t you want to tell everyone what He’s done for you?

“For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.” John 3:16 (AMP)

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[1] Jim White, "Motivation: For a Lifetime of Disciple-making," Discipleship Journal (May/June 1981)

Under the Influence

Picture this: Two beautiful people sit on a beach, the perfect breeze blows around them. The seagulls call all around. They look deep into each other’s eyes. They’re smiling at each other as though they share the best secret in the universe. The camera zooms in for a close up; the music swells and then, one of them turns to the camera and says, “Everything is better when you follow Jesus.”

Oh, come on! That’s just silly, right? You can’t market Jesus and salvation like you would beer or soft drinks, can you? Maybe not. What would you think of an info-mercial where members of the live studio audience told about how much better their lives were since they’d accepted Jesus and the pitch-man offered to send you, for no extra charge, an additional out-pouring of the Holy Spirit all for three easy payments of $19.95?

Still doesn’t feel right, does it? Have you ever stopped to think that, in a way; we’re being “witnessed” to all the time?

To “bear witness” is a verb that means to “testify [or] authenticate.” Some synonyms are: “affirm, announce, argue, attest, be a witness, bear out, bear witness , bespeak, betoken, certify, confirm, corroborate, countersign, … , depose, endorse, give evidence, give testimony, indicate, say under oath, sign, stand for, subscribe, vouch for.”[1]

What would happen though if someone asked for thirty seconds of your time to influence you or witness to you to drink a beer, eat in a certain restaurant or use a particular laundry detergent? You’d think they were being very pushy. But advertising companies make billions of dollars a year to do just that. Think about the “witnessing” going on during the Super Bowl alone! And we look forward to being witnessed to, don’t we? Some people claim they only watch the Super Bowl to see the ads. We go online to get sneak peeks of the ads. News programs talk about which of the ads were the most popular. We forget that the ads aren’t part of the entertainment, but that we’re being influenced to do or to buy something.

The battle to influence us goes much farther than just ads; TV shows, movies, music, the internet. No matter where we go, someone is trying to influence us, in subtle and not so subtle ways, about how we should think and act … and we love it. Right up to the moment when someone brings religion into the mix.

That’s when things get uncomfortable, isn’t it? If someone wants to witness to us, we feel like he or she is “pushing his beliefs on us.” We might get a bit defensive and start pushing back, with proof texts and such. And, if we’re asked to witness to someone else, well, we go all shy and stuttery, don’t we? “Oh, I can’t witness to anyone; I haven’t any training.”

What would be different, though, if we changed the word witness for influence? That makes a huge difference, don’t you think? We think of witnessing as something we do, while influence is more like what we are. In fact, whether or not we are purposefully witnessing, we are always being an influence. Does that terrify you just a little bit? It does me.

You can probably think of several times when celebrity or athlete gets into some kind of trouble and someone makes a comment about how this person’s behavior will affect all the young people who look up to the celebrity. Almost invariably, the celebrity will say something like, “I never said I was anybody’s role model.”

It doesn’t work that way, though, does it? All of us are witnesses or influences all the time. We don’t get to pick and choose. We like to talk about the people who will come to us in heaven and thank us because something we did, either consciously or unconsciously, influenced them to give their lives to Christ. But what about the flip side of that coin, will there be anyone who is not in heaven because of something we have done or not done?

“Paul urged his brethren to ask themselves what influence their words and deeds would have upon others and to do nothing, however innocent in itself, that would seem to sanction idolatry or offend the scruples of those who might be weak in the faith. ‘Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Give none offense, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God.’”[2]  

Whether we like it or not, our influence for or against God is never turned off. So let’s make sure that we are influencing people to want to get to know God more. How do we do that? Well, it’s not by proving that we have all the answers. Winning the bible truth debate only proves that we care more about being right that being a friend. Sometimes it’s better to make those debate points in your mind if you have to make them at all, and just be a good friend who is listening and caring.

“Your success will not depend so much upon your knowledge and accomplishments, as upon your ability to find your way to the heart.”[3]

Remember the old saying: “You can draw more bees with honey than with vinegar.” We can’t share Jesus if nobody wants to be around us, right?

“Our time here is short. We can pass through this world but once; as we pass along, let us make the most of life. The work to which we are called does not require wealth or social position or great ability. It requires a kindly, self-sacrificing spirit and a steadfast purpose. A lamp, however small, if kept steadily burning, may be the means of lighting many other lamps. Our sphere of influence may seem narrow, our ability small, our opportunities few, our acquirements limited; yet wonderful possibilities are ours through a faithful use of the opportunities of our own homes. If we will open our hearts and homes to the divine principles of life, we shall become channels for currents of life-giving power. From our homes will flow streams of healing, bringing life, and beauty, and fruitfulness where now are barrenness and dearth.”[4]

I don’t know about you, but I want to put my life under the influence of the Holy Spirit so that witness for Jesus will be a blessing.

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:13-16

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[1] bear witness. (n.d.). Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition. Retrieved May 04, 2012, from Thesaurus.com website: http://thesaurus.com/browse/bear witness

[2] E.G. White, Acts of the Apostles, p. 317

[3] E.G. White, Gospel Workers, p. 193

[4] E.G. White, The Adventist Home, p. 32

Mary or Martha?

How many times have we heard the story of Mary and Martha?  Jesus is visiting and Martha is rushing around making sure everything is just right and then she realizes that Mary is not helping but sitting with Jesus like one of their guests.  Martha gets upset and wants Jesus to tell Mary to get up and help, but He doesn't.  In fact, He pretty much tells Martha that she should be sitting with Mary.

Have you ever had a hard time with that story?  I have.  Maybe because I have always wanted to be more Martha-like in general...and maybe because I've always kind of mis-read the story itself.  I've always felt that Jesus was telling Martha that she was doing the wrong thing by making sure dinner made it to the table and all.  It wasn't until right now that I realized that Jesus was not so much telling Martha she was altogether wrong but that Mary was altogether right (at that particular moment).

I guess my point is that if all we ever did was sit and study, nothing in the way of Gospel sharing or soul winning would ever get done.  But we have to have the quiet time getting to know Jesus and building that relationship first, or our attempts at sharing Jesus will fail.

If you look back at the beginning of Luke chapter 10, we see Jesus sending out the seventy apostles or missionaries or whatever for the first time.

“After these things the LORD appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.
“Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.” Luke 10:1-2

The first verse says, “After these things...”  Well I looked back at chapter nine and most of that chapter is Jesus showing the disciples who He really is and what His mission really is.  Then He sends them out to spread the good news.  They couldn't have been effective witnesses for Jesus if they hadn't spent that time learning about Him and getting to know Him.

Something else that I don't believe I fully understood about the the Mary and Martha story is that Mary is not just sitting and listening; she's not being passive in any way.  She is trying to soak up every word and every truth that Jesus is speaking.  She's drinking in His truth because she doesn't want to forget anything.

How many of us study our Bibles like that – trying to wrap our brains around every little tidbit of truth and hang onto it?  How often do we pray to get closer to Jesus instead of to ask Him to get us out of our latest tangle?  When was the last time we prayed and then waited to hear what Jesus had to say to us, instead of a quick prayer: “Thank you for another day; keep me safe.  Amen”?

Maybe it's only me, but it's not so much the physical busyness but the mental static that keeps me from “sitting at the feet of Jesus” and, consequently, stunts my ability to witness for Him. 

“Be still, and know that I am God...” Psalm 46:10

“Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.” Psalm 37:7

“And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,...” 2 Thessalonians 1:7

Jesus wasn't telling Martha she shouldn't be serving but that she shouldn't be worrying and fussing over things that were temporary.

Think about Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.  How many hours/days do some of us spend planning and shopping and cooking because we want everything to be just right?  And how long does the meal itself last? Thirty minutes, tops!  And then you have to start cleaning up...yech!

"'Martha, Martha,' the Lord answered, 'you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.'" Luke 10:41-42

Have we chosen that better part that can't be taken away from us?  Have we filled our hearts and mind with Jesus?  Or are we still rushing around (physically or mentally) worried and upset?

I think that I've always gotten distracted by the visuals of Mary and Martha...Mary sitting quietly; Martha rushing back and forth.  But this isn't about movement or non-movement.  I know I can be sitting absolutely still, but my mind is going every which way, trying to figure out the solution to this, wondering about that, worrying about this other thing.  Or, I could be going through all the motions of my day, which might be physically hectic or demanding, but as long as my mind is fixed on Jesus, I can be calm and at rest.

We have to be the best of both Mary and Martha to be able to spread the good news about Jesus.  First, we have to learn to sit quietly with Jesus and learn the truth about Him, but then we have to share what we've learned.

“All who work for God should have the Martha and the Mary attributes blended--a willingness to minister and a sincere love of the truth.”--E.G. White,Testimonies, vol. 6, p. 118.

“Sitting at the feet of Jesus,
Oh, what words I hear Him say!
Happy place! so near, so precious!
May it find me there each day;
Sitting at the feet of Jesus,
I would look upon the past;
For His love has been so gracious,
It has won my heart at last.”