Motives

December 13

It is an observable, if not measurable phenomenon that it is often the people who know the least regarding a matter who virtually demand to be in charge. To put this mindset into a 'spiritual nutshell', we could say that this type of individual is concerned about his own aggrandizement more than he is in the furtherance of the Kingdom of God.

Stated another way, if the person in question is a Christian, he is following Christ for the loaves and fishes. Rather than being drawn by the prospect of knowing the Lord of all the universe intimately, the individual desires to have all he can attain by walking with the One who has all power to supply all things.

Unbelievable as that concept seems, indeed, it is true. Some of us who name the name of the Lord Jesus are followers because of the advantage we attain for doing so rather than because we have allowed Him to be Lord of our lives.

In I Timothy 1:7, Paul says to his spiritual son, “They want to be teachers of the law although they don’t understand what they are saying or what they are insisting upon.” Because human nature doesn’t change apart from the work of the Holy Spirit, this observation is still true today. Some who profess faith in Jesus are very desirous of holding positions of authority within the body.

They enjoy being on the board or counseling new Christians or expounding their purported wisdom, but it is for their own aggrandizement not for the glory of Christ that they volunteer their service. Mere observers of men’s actions cannot rightly judge their motives, but God sees hearts. May we assure that what He sees in us flows from genuine love for Jesus.