{"id":2950,"date":"2015-07-19T09:00:06","date_gmt":"2015-07-19T14:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.barbdahlgren.com\/?p=2950"},"modified":"2015-08-10T17:12:23","modified_gmt":"2015-08-10T22:12:23","slug":"choose-the-right-motive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/barbdahlgren.com\/?p=2950","title":{"rendered":"Choose the Right Motive"},"content":{"rendered":"

A Year of Choices…<\/em><\/p>\n

By Barbara Dahlgren from Barbara\u2019s Banter at www.barbdahlgren.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

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\"The<\/a>Most of us want to go through life doing the right thing, which is not always the easiest course of action.\u00a0 What is popular is not always right and what is right is not always popular.\u00a0 However, when faced with a difficult choice we need to do the right thing because it\u2019s the right thing to do.<\/p>\n

As Christians, we need to go a step farther.\u00a0 Not only do we need to do the right thing, but we need to do it for the right reason.\u00a0 If we aren\u2019t careful we can slip into doing the right thing for the wrong reason.\u00a0 That\u2019s what happened to the Pharisees.<\/p>\n

They knew it was good to give offerings, pray, and do acts of kindness.\u00a0 The Pharisees got off course when they did all of this to be seen by men, sit in the chief seats, and have others consider them righteous. (Matthew 23:5-7)\u00a0 God did not like that. (Matthew 5:1-5)\u00a0 They were doing the right things for the wrong reasons.\u00a0 Hopefully our purpose runs deeper than doing acts of kindness or righteousness just so others will see and think highly of us.<\/p>\n

Doing the right thing with an ulterior motive falls into this category as well.\u00a0 We all know we need to praise and worship God.\u00a0 But those \u201cgive-me,\u201d \u201cgive-me,\u201d \u201cgive-me\u201d prayers aren\u2019t all that pleasing to God.\u00a0 We have to ask ourselves if we come to God for what he can do for us or because of what he already has done for us.\u00a0 God isn\u2019t in the business of giving us everything we want.\u00a0 Will we still praise him even if he doesn\u2019t give us what we want or deliver us immediately from a bad situation?<\/p>\n

This is a question Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had to ask themselves in Daniel 3.\u00a0 When King Nebuchadnezzar made a huge golden idol of himself and required everyone to bow down to it Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused.\u00a0 They would only bow to the one true God.\u00a0 The king was furious and said if they didn\u2019t bow down he would throw them into a blazing furnace.\u00a0 He said, \u201cThen what God can rescue you from my hand?\u201d<\/p>\n

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego could have gotten a little cocky and said, \u201cNo problem!\u00a0 We aren\u2019t going to burn up.\u00a0 God won\u2019t allow it!\u201d\u00a0 Instead they said, \u201cWe know that the God we worship is able to rescue us, but even if he chooses not to, we still won\u2019t bow down to your idol.\u201d<\/p>\n

I love this story.\u00a0 It shows ultimate belief, trust, and confidence in God regardless of what God chooses to do.\u00a0 After all, God is God and we are not.\u00a0 Isn\u2019t that the whole lesson of the book of Job?\u00a0 If it is God\u2019s will not to deliver us the way we want to be delivered, is it okay with us?\u00a0 Or do we just pray and worship God so he will give us what we want?<\/p>\n

What should our motive be?\u00a0 It can be summed up in one word \u2013 LOVE.\u00a0 \u00a0Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego didn\u2019t bow down because they loved and trusted God.\u00a0 We pray and worship God because we love him.\u00a0 We do acts of kindness because we love others.\u00a0 The love chapter (1 Corinthians 13) tells us we can do wondrous works and remarkable unselfish deeds, but if we have not love, it profits nothing.<\/p>\n

Consider this\u2026The motive of love will produce works that glorify God, which is the reason to do the right thing.\u00a0 1 Corinthians 10:31 and Colossians 3:17 tell us that no matter what we do, it should be done for the glory of God.\u00a0 We do it all for God\u2019s glory \u2013 not ours.<\/p>\n

A person should strive to do the right thing.\u00a0 As Christians, we need to be sure we are doing it for the right reason.<\/p>\n

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Suggestions for practicing this suggestion\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n