‘Contagious Motivation’

Daily Devotional December 17th

“Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.” Hebrews 10:24

The Bible tells us that we are to motivate one another in the tangible demonstrations of our faith. How? To answer that question we need to ask ourselves what our motivators are. For some of us an innate sense of duty can keep on us the treadmill of life despite how we feel; for others the idea of being called out or suffering negative consequences act as a stronger motivator. As Christians, however, laying guilt trips on others to get them to fulfill their ‘duty’ or brandishing consequences like a whip to encourage compliance really don’t belong in our retinue of motivators or motivations.

Besides the fact, what exactly are we to motivate others too? Not the fulfillment of duty or compliance, but rather to ‘acts of love and good works.’ So, what most often motivates love and goodness? Having experienced it from another first hand. This call from the writer of Hebrews to motivate one another, is really a call for each one of us to live lives busily engaged in demonstrating acts of love and good works. They should be the hallmark for how we live life.
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So let me ask you...and myself too...is this how others would describe you if they were asked for a character reference–love and goodness? Someday our physical bodies will all be laid to rest–unless Jesus comes back prior to your life’s ending–and I wonder, how will our eulogies read? Will one of the things that we are remembered for be how we motivated others to acts of love and good works? For me, I pray that it is one of the things that I become increasingly known for–a Christ follower known for her loving actions and good deeds on the behalf of others. God’s goodness and love lived through His followers is one of the main ways He chooses to work. I, for one, don’t want to disappoint my Father, just as I’m sure you don’t want to either. So let’s make it our life’s ambition to motivate one another to acts of love and good works as we demonstrate God’s goodness and love each and everyday...not just at Christmas time, but all year round!
~ Pastor Jane