What's Your Motivation?

I am re-reading "The Prodigal God" by Tim Keller. OK, I only got through half of it when I read it about a year ago but it has been sitting on my coffee table mocking me so I figured my recent trip to Denver was a good time to start over. In recent years, I have made a point to carry a book while traveling that can act as a conversation starter about God so the title of this book worked well.

The book is a deeper teaching of "The Parable of the Prodigal Son" or what Tim Keller believes should be more aptly called "The Parable of the Two Lost Sons" from Luke 15. The way most Christians think about the parable revolves around the younger son. He wanted his father's inheritance and once he had it he went out into the world where he engaged in immoral behavior and recklessly spent every penny. He reached rock bottom and decided to return home in hopes of being able to make things right once again with his father. His father sees him coming from far away, runs out to meet him and graciously celebrates the return of his son. We focus on this part of the parable...that God loves us unconditionally and there is nothing that we can do that God will not forgive...that He will welcome us back with open arms if we repent with a humble heart. Don't get me wrong. It is a wonderful message of this parable and one on which we should certainly focus. But there is more.

The entire time the younger son was gone, and well before, the oldest son was dedicated to his father. He stayed at home, worked diligently and was involved in helping take care of his father's affairs. His outward behavior was exemplary. Anyone observing from the outside would be impressed at this man's son. But his heart was laid bare upon the return of his younger brother. His anger and indignation at his father's warm welcome to his brother was compelling evidence that his motivations for being the diligent son were not pure. His problem was the same as his younger brother but in a much more subtle way. Each son's primary desire was for what their father could give them. The younger son's method was just much more obvious - demand it and take it. On the other hand, the older son's method was to do everything he possibly could do for his father so his father would owe him what he truly desired. Neither son wanted their father because he was their father. Their motivations were selfish to the core. Yet, while the younger son finally found a repentant heart after hitting rock bottom the parable ends with the older son continuing to be separated from the heart of his father.

So, this got me to thinking. What is our motivation for not sinning? I think there are a few obvious motivations and likely many more beyond these:

*Wanting something from God - This is the elder brother mentality. God, I am going to be a good person for you, and in return, I expect my life to go well and for you to bless me. This is the motivation that is shattered when you are trying to live a life pleasing to God and tragedy strikes. Your reaction will very likely be anger at God for not holding up His end of the bargain. Even a minor incident like a flat tire when you are on your way to teach Sunday School can cause resentment.

*Duty - This is the mentality where you just keep your head down and walk the straight and narrow because it's what you are supposed to do. Your heart is not engaged. You become almost robotic in your day-to-day activities, just trying to get through until heaven arrives. There is little-to-no passion or desire. It's a mentality that often leads to despair or egregious sin as your own will power can not sustain your perceived perfection.

*Fear - This is the mentality I hear from a Catholic friend of mine..."I won't have an affair because I don't want to go to hell." Well, it's good that you won't have an affair but is this really the proper motivation? (Of course, it's terrible theology as well.) While we should fear the One who can take our soul, we shouldn't be living in constant fear of our Heavenly Father who not only calls us His friends but His children. Have you seen what happens to children who live in constant terror of their father? There is no real relationship there...no intimacy. It is an existence in which you simply wait for something to go terribly wrong.

*Pride - This is the mentality that says I am going to be a good person because then I will feel good about myself. Of course, it usually goes a step further to not only include feeling good about yourself but feeling superior to others who can't seem to get their lives in order and live up to your moral code. There is a deep denial here about the need for God's grace since they have already justified themselves. There is also a lack of desire to reach out to others in love and grace because if I have gotten things together on my own, why can't they? They must not care enough or just aren't trying hard enough.

Recognize any of these in your own life? I think I am susceptible to each at different times. But there is only one true and right motivation: LOVE. Look at these verses: Joshua 22:5, Nehemiah 1:5, Pslam 119:88, Daniel 9:4.

Jesus says over and over in John 14, "If you love me, you will obey me." (verses 15,21,23,24). He doesn't say, "If you obey me, you will love me." None of the aforementioned verses put it in that order either. Love doesn't come out of obedience. We won't truly open our hearts to someone from a sense of obligation. But if you truly love someone, you will want to obey them. You will want to delight in them, to respect them, to give them a sense of joy and happiness. This is to be our motivation in not sinning against a holy God. Not out of fear or pride or duty or expectation...but out of simple, yet all encompassing love.

Why is this so difficult for so many Christians when it should be so simple? Maybe it's because we don't truly believe that God loves us completely. But I will save that for another blog...