What Motivates You?

When was the last time you heard a motivational talk? Maybe it was in your church. Or perhaps at a gathering where some eloquent and accomplished speaker addressed the audience with such fervor, some people didn’t need to exit via the doors. They were ready to run through walls, they were so psyched up.

Years ago, I attended one of those multi-level sales meetings where men and women shared their glowing success stories and got many of the attendees fired up. I wasn’t one of them, but I must admit, their stories sounded convincing.

Lots of men and women have forged lucrative careers as motivational speakers, and some have supplemented their incomes with books capturing their inspiring messages. In many cases, what they have to say is good. It’s drawn from their own experience, and others benefit from hearing about what they’ve learned through the process of hard work, determination, trial and error.

Unfortunately, such external motivation doesn’t last all that long. I think of the popular Promise Keepers conferences of years ago. Thousands upon thousands of men would gather together for a couple of days, basically listening to a series of “Win One for the Gipper” speeches, only with a decidedly spiritual twist. I attended one in Atlanta, and a lot of what we heard was very good. But a week or two later, guys I went with were kind of scratching their heads and thinking, “Now, what was it I was so excited about at that conference?”

Because being motivated that way is like attending a football pep rally. Everyone’s excited, the team is pumped, and we’re all convinced our guys are going to score a resounding victory. Then comes the kickoff, however, the game is on, and we discover heightened emotions won’t be enough to win the day.

Which leads us to an important question: What motivates you? Experts tell us motivation drives basically everything we do, whether it’s extrinsic motivation – to achieve something or attain a goal, or intrinsic – being motivated internally for some form of personal fulfillment.

I think of a friend who many years ago started a ministry aimed at a very difficult segment of society. Some of us who knew him wondered how long he would stick with it, considering the many challenges, obstacles and disappointments he was bound to encounter. About 40 years later, he’s still involved with the same work.

So, what is it that undergirds some people’s well-intended initial commitments and enables them to endure and persevere over a long haul while so many others start well but fizzle out after a relatively short period of time? What keeps them motivated?

For followers of Jesus Christ, the answer can be summarized by a simple sentence: “For Christ’s love compels us” (2 Corinthians 5:14). The apostle Paul wrote this within a context of explaining his motivation for sharing the good news of Christ to any and all that he encountered. The love Jesus had shown to him, and Jesus’ love being manifested through him to others. This should serve as the motivation for everything we do.

In the same passage, Paul wrote, “If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you…because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again” (2 Corinthians 5:13-15).

He concludes this section by declaring, “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20). As we go through each day – whether it’s at work, interacting with neighbors, attending a school PTA meeting, even at the local mall – we should never forget that we are ambassadors for Jesus Christ.

Colossians 3:23 offers this motivation: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” Like most writers, many times I don’t receive a lot of feedback on what I write, whether it’s a book, an article, or one of these blog posts. It’s not uncommon for any writer to wonder, “Why am I doing this? Does anyone care? Is it making any difference?”

For me, it’s important to keep in the forefront of my mind that I’m compelled by Christ’s love for me, along with the love He’s given me for others, as well as the awareness that ultimately whatever I do is for an audience of One. Then I have the clear answer for the “why” of what I do, along with being assured as the Lord is guiding me, I’m making a difference in one way or another.

This understanding should serve as strong, unwavering motivation for us all. Even in times of uncertainty or discouragement, we have the assurance to “be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Could Your Convictions Convict You?

This is my 700^th post since starting this blog late in 2008. I remember writing several in advance back then, in case I ran out of ideas. Didn’t want to be a one-week blogging wonder.

To commemorate this “milestone” (hopefully you don’t see it as more of a millstone!), I debated what to write about. For whatever reason, the subject of “convictions” came to mind. Our local newspaper is unusual in that it features two facing op-ed pages – the one on the left appropriately taking a liberal slant, the one on the right holding to conservative views. It’s amazing how they can discuss identical topics and espouse totally opposite convictions.

But having convictions isn’t strongly encouraged anymore. In deference to “tolerance,” people with strong convictions are often shouted down or ridiculed as narrow-minded, bigoted or worse. So I have two questions: What convictions do you strongly embrace? And based on what you say and how you act, would there be enough evidence to convict you for having those convictions?

I write from the conviction that the Bible isn’t an antiquated, irrelevant book with no meaning for 21^st century life. To the contrary, I’m convinced that just as the owner’s manual shows how a car should be operated and maintained, the Scriptures comprise God “Owner’s manual,” designed to tell us how to live and act.

Years ago someone became the first to proclaim, “There are no absolutes!” Which is ironic, since that statement sounds absolute. And if that’s true, couldn’t something else be equally “absolute”? These days there’s a strong trend away from matters of conviction, absolute beliefs. Instead, we’re told, “live and let live,” and “to thine own self be true.”

Churches and even denominations have acquiesced, abandoning the Bible as unquestioned foundation for what they believe and teach. In many quarters, ministerial leaders utter more palatable messages in their quest for a larger “market,” or to enhance their “brand.” Instead of the Ten Commandments, “Thou shalt not offend” has become the edict of choice.

But the Scriptures present many examples of unwavering, uncompromising conviction. It starts in the very first verse of the Bible’s first book, announcing, “In the beginning God….” Then it tells how He created all we see and know.

When Moses encountered God in the burning bush and was instructed to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, he asked who he should say sent him. The Lord responded, “I AM who I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you’” (Exodus 3:14). He didn’t say, “I was,” or “I might be.” He said, “I AM,” declaring His omnipresence and timelessness.

Jesus announced, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6), He spoke with conviction – and unwavering certainty. He addressed His followers with authority, as if to say, “To know God and have an eternal relationship with Him, there aren’t multiple options.”

We see a similar level of conviction among those who carried on His work. The apostle Paul, whose persecution parade ended when he literally “saw the light” en route to Damascus, later said, “For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2).

Paul also explained his motivation: “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died (to our old life)” (2 Corinthians 5:14). His conviction was to tell everyone about what Christ had done for them – and the importance of receiving His gift of forgiveness and salvation.

Today we seem like the ancient Israelites, described in Judges 21:25. It says, “in those days there was no king is Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Having dispensed with the Judeo-Christian consensus that helped to shape American society, now it seems everyone’s intent on doing what’s right in their own eyes.

But this doesn’t negate the Bible’s claim about itself: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

If this isn’t true, we have every reason for doing whatever’s right in our own eyes. But if the Bible is indeed God’s Owner’s manual – entrusted to us for teaching, training and guidance – then we should study to understand what it says, not just for religious or spiritual gatherings, but also for any and every setting in which we find ourselves: Work, play, family, community, even the world.

Because as Colossians 3:17 admonishes, “whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus….” It becomes a matter of conviction.

Hard Work – Or Heart Work?

“Nothing worth having comes easy.” “Hard work does not guarantee success but no success is possible without hard work.” “All roads that lead to success have to pass through Hard Work Boulevard at some point.” “There is no substitute for hard work” (Thomas Edison).

These are just a handful of hundreds of salient quotations about the necessity of hard work for achieving meaningful goals and objectives. They apply to any endeavor, whether it’s gaining a useful education, forging a rewarding career, mastering a musical instrument, honing skills in a specific craft or hobby, building a family, excelling in athletic pursuits, writing a book, or even losing weight. The easy way, on the other hand, is usually the surest path to failure.

As Proverbs 6:10-11 points out, "A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest – and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man." Another verse, Proverbs 14:23, adds, “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.”

But sometimes, hard work frankly isn’t worth it. For instance, for people lacking certain innate skills, no matter how hard they work, it’s unlikely they’ll approach success. For instance, on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the highest), my singing skills would probably rate a .5, so I’m not going to exert any effort trying to become vocal soloist with the local symphony. My mechanical aptitude isn’t much better, so I have no intention of trying to refurbish an old car or build a house – or even a birdhouse – any time soon.

However, writing has been my passion for as long as I can remember. In fact, even though I’ve spent countless hours doing it and believe time and practice have helped to hone my literary skills, it’s more “heart work” than hard work. As someone once said – and many have repeated – if you love your work, you’ll never really work another day in your life.

That doesn’t mean if you’re not passionate something, like about cutting grass, washing the dishes or taking out the trash, you’re excused from doing it when necessary. Daily chores and some assignments in the workplace have to be done even if we don’t love having to do them. But heart work definitely makes hard work easier. So given that we all are limited to 24 hours a day and seven days in a week, doesn’t it make sense to devote much of that time to pursuits we’re passionate about, ones we also happen to be skilled or gifted at doing?

And when that passion is linked to a sense of calling or mission, we won’t find it necessary to pick ourselves up by the scruff of the neck to get going. As author and motivational speaker Steve Pavlina wrote, “When you live for a strong purpose, then hard work isn’t an option. It’s a necessity.”

For followers of Jesus Christ, our passion for Him – and His love for us – should provide more than enough motivation to be involved somehow in the work of His eternal kingdom. The apostle Paul wrote unapologetically, “if we are out of our mind, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you. For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that One died for all, therefore all died…. Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ: Be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:13-20).

Without question, fulfilling the calling God had given Paul was hard work, agonizingly so. He encountered great adversity, persecution, physical hardship, imprisonment, and moments when he was at the brink of death. But having become convinced that nothing could ever separate any of God’s children from His divine love (Romans 8:38-39), Paul’s heart work enabled him to endure the hard work.

What’s your heart work, that thing (or those things) capable of turning the necessary hard work into a pleasure and a privilege, rather than a bother and a burden?

‘It’s Personal . . . and Private’

Question: When you buy a new car, try a tasty new brand of cereal, visit a wonderful new restaurant, or even find a new TV show that you really enjoy, do you keep that information to yourself? Or do you share the discovery with others, especially good friends, thinking they also might be interesting in knowing about it?

I remember in the late ‘90s when I attended my first NASCAR race at the Talladega Motor Speedway in Alabama. It was unlike anything I had encountered before, so I was excited to tell anyone – and everyone – I knew about it. My enthusiasm might have been a bit much for some people, but I’d found the experience beyond exhilarating and thought others would want to hear about it.

Then several years ago, because some kind of illness had me down for the count, I “binge-watched” a marathon showing of the first three seasons of episodes of “Downton Abbey.” Until then I’d had no interest in the PBS series, even after hearing some people talking about it. But once I had seen the series, I not only couldn’t wait for the next season to start, but also eagerly told family and friends about how much I had enjoyed it. I wasn’t attempting to impose my enthusiasm on them. I just figured they might like it as much as I did.

This is why, when I hear people referring to their faith as “personal” or “private,” reluctant to discuss it with others, I’m inclined to scratch my head. I get that we should respect people who don’t share our beliefs – and I do. I wouldn’t want someone to try to force their convictions and values on me, and it’s not my desire to do that with others.

However, if we’re enthused enough to tell others about a new computer or cell phone, a pastime or pizza place – things that in the great scheme of things don’t matter all that much – why wouldn’t we want to tell someone about a truly life-changing experience we’ve had in the realm of faith? Especially if we truly believe it makes a difference for eternity?

At one time the apostle Paul was a zealous enemy of Jesus Christ and His followers. Known then as Saul of Tarsus, he took great delight and pride in fervently persecuting those who were known as “Christians.” Then he had a personal encounter with Jesus, and the change in his life couldn’t have been more dramatic. For the rest of his life, Paul couldn’t help telling others what Christ had done in his life and what He could do in theirs as well. He wrote, “For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all” (2 Corinthians 5:14).

Paul explained his motivation for telling people about what he termed the “good news.” He stated, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile” (Romans 1:16). What Jesus offered, he said, wasn’t limited to any select group – it was available to any who would receive it.

Speaking to His disciples, Jesus told them that while the offer of forgiveness, salvation and eternal life was available to all, He wasn’t just one of many possible alternatives. He boldly declared, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). In other words, He was saying, “This matter of eternal life isn’t multiple choice. There’s only one way – and I am it.”

So how does this tie into the conviction some people hold that beliefs are personal and private, not something to be shared publicly – even one-on-one? Again, if we’ve found something truly life-changing, wouldn’t it be selfish, even cruel, not to let other people in on our “secret”? Besides that, Jesus didn’t give us the option of choosing not to tell others. He declared, “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will also disown before my Father in heaven” (Matthew 10:32-33).

This doesn’t mean talking with others about Jesus earns us spiritual brownie points, or awards on some heavenly merit badge. He was simply saying, “If I’ve changed your life, if you truly love Me, why wouldn’t you want to tell other people about Me?”

Does Christ’s love compel us to tell others? Or are we, in fact, ashamed of the gospel of Christ? These are very good questions, maybe even hard questions, but they’re questions that only we can answer for ourselves.