Motive

The subheading over 1 Corinthians 13 in my Bible says, "The Way of Love". That's a good description of the way Jesus lived, and the way we hope to live, but often get caught up in the how and what of life, forgetting the why.


1 Corithians 13:1-3 says,

"If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it;but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing."


Motive is everything. If I do not love others, I have missed the point completely.
That changes everything...

If you busy yourself with serving, ministry, giving, and even become a martyr, but have no love for those you are doing it for-it is really worthless. That is what Paul is saying. You should ask yourself why you are doing it. Make sure that your motives are centered around your love for the individual or group you are serving. If not love, what?

Paul listed some characteristics of love in verses 4-7, that will give you a clue to where your motives lie.

1 Corithians 13:4-7,

"Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance."

After viewing that I saw that I needed to reflect and make some changes. Maybe you feel the same. A few thoughts to consider:

*Begin to rethink your activities. Stop those that are not motivated by pure love, or if possible, change your motivation.

*Ask God to help you to love others as He does; love for what you are doing;love for Him.

*Begin something new that is fueled solely by your love. It doesn't have to be big, but it does have to be personal to you.

"We are shaped and fashioned by what we love." -Johann Wolfgang

Outside of God's Holiness, I do not think anything comes closer to God's heart than pure love...