John 5: 30-47

I’ve been struggling lately with my motivation. Why do I do the things I do? Why do I say the things I say? Motives are tricky. Just when I think I know that my motives are right, a bit of pride sneaks in and here we go again.

Jesus speaks to the religious leaders about motivation. Jesus is motivated by one thing: doing the will of the Father. What He does is from God. What He says is from God. He has no desire to speak on His own behalf. He doesn’t need the praise of other people. Jesus knew His mission; to speak and to act the will of God. He was deterred by the negative reactions of His detractors. He wasn’t distracted by the positive comments of His followers. Jesus lived out daily the will of God.

This makes me want to be like Jesus. I want to live free of the need to convince those who don’t approve of me. I want to serve God without needing the encouragement of those who agree with me. (Just a note: I can – and should – learn from those who see things differently than I see them. I am – and should be – grateful for those who see the good and validate the call God has given me.) I want my motives to be pure, not self-seeking, but seeking God alone.