Perry Mason, Matlock, Murder She Wrote, Criminal Minds, CSI, Bones, etc. The “who done it” drama is one of the oldest and most worn out genre’ of TV series and movie plots. The motif has been worn thin with holes. We seem to have a morbid fascination with murder. Cain started it, and the subject has since provided ample fodder for the theatre, novel, Hollywood, and the television networks. I would venture to speculate that the business of stories about murder is a multi-billion dollar a year industry. (I have no data to substantiate that, it is just a theory.)
After the detectives gather as much physical evidence as they can, the next big question is always motive. Who had a motive to kill this person? Despite what you might be thinking at this point, this is not a thesis on murder. I merely use the subject of murder as a segue into the topic, which is motive.
What is motive? To put it in as simple terms as I can, it is the why behind what we do. A motive always has an implied “because”. “He/she did (fill in the blank) because (fill in the blank.)”
Motive:
“something that causes a person to act in a certain way, do a certain thing, etc.; incentive. the goal or object of a person’s actions.”
To motivate means to provide the reason for acting in a certain way, or accomplish a certain goal. This is the origin of the word motivation, although in our current vernacular, we tend to use the word motivation in a much broader manner, pertaining more to excitement than the reason for action. For example, suppose you were running in a marathon. Your family and friends may come to stand on the sidelines and cheer you on. They may say they are doing this to “motivate” you. Technically speaking, that is not accurate. They may be encouraging you to run harder, but they are not providing you with a reason for running harder, unless they are yelling out things like, “Run harder Jimmy, because if you win this race, Dr. Mahoy has promised to give $10,.000 to the children’s hospital.” Otherwise, they are not motivating you, they are encouraging you. Cheerleaders at a ballgame do not, technically speaking, motivate the fans or the players, they simply get them excited. (I did not mind watching those skirts when I was in high school. I didn’t really care who won, but I was excited!) Their cheers did not consist of well thought out and articulated reasons why the game needed to be won. I know I am splitting hairs here, but that is what I do. I am the high sheriff of the word patrol! 12
The detective puts a lot of time and work into trying to figure out the killer’s motive. I believe that all of us, as human beings, would benefit greatly if we could learn to put that kind of effort into regularly, and consistently examining our own life’s motives We could also benefit by trying harder to understand the motives of others, rather than basing our assessments of others simply on the observation of their actions. Not that we condone bad actions, but understanding the reason (motive) behind the action often gives us a much greater understanding of the other. Let me give you an example: Suppose you were playing in the middle of the living room floor with your toddler. Suddenly, you notice that she has a metal hair pin in her hand that she is trying to stick it in the electrical outlet. You rush to her and knock her arm down to prevent her from doing so. At just that moment, your neighbor steps through your front door, and all they see you doing is batting your daughter’s arm down, and they rush out the door in a panic and call 911. “My neighbor is beating his child!” might be what is reported on the phone call. Yes, they did witness you batting your daughter’s arm down, but they did not know your motive, which was to prevent her from a much more serious injury.
I have learned a valuable lesson over many years of reading the Scriptures, and many of you have probably also: God is more concerned with our motive (the why) than He is with our action (the what). Because this is the basis of God’s evaluation of us, the subject should get our attention. We should all ask ourselves these questions: 1. Why do I do what I do? 2. Why do I do what I do the way I do it? (How I go about it.) 3. Why do I think the way I do? (What is the paradigm or life-view that I use to interpret things?) 4. Why do I react or respond to things the way I do? What is the motive? Why does so-and-so get on my nerves so bad? Am I allowing another person’s bad behavior to influence me in such a manner that I am reacting in the same manner, or responding in a different way? (When you “react” to someone, they are controlling you. When you respond, however, you are controlling yourself.)
In the Gospel of Matthew, we read these words of our Lord Jesus, recorded in chapter 7, verses 21-23:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
We cannot come to God with a list of our accomplishments, expecting Him to justify us and welcome us into His Kingdom. We can do a lot of stuff that appears to be good, but done for the wrong reason (motive). The fallacy in the thinking of many who pursue a spiritual path in life is the idea that we somehow earn favor with God by doing the right stuff, and because of this, He owes us something. This is the root of what is often referred to as “works theology.” This is the basis of all the world’s various religions, other than true Christianity, and sadly, it is also the basis of that which is called “Christianity”, but falsely so. Just because a specific word or phrase is used to describe something, that does not automatically make it what the word implies that it is. I can call myself “Superman”, but I am still weak, non-flying and no cape wearing Daniel Bryant.
Jesus did not say that because they did these things, (prophesying, driving out demons, and performing miracles), they would not enter the Kingdom of God. These are things that the Apostles did, in fact do, so there is nothing inherently evil in the deeds themselves. The reason for them being rejected is not the what, but the why. “Only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” will enter Kingdom of heaven. So, what is the will of the Father? To do good deeds? To live a well-behaved and devout life? There is certainly nothing wrong with any of these things, but plainly stated by Jesus Himself, the will of the Father is to believe on the One He had sent.
John 6:29: “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.”
John 3:18: “Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”
So, the “why” can be, “Because I do all the right stuff, and try, through self-discipline, to lead a good life, I can earn God’s favor, and He will owe me. I deserve it”.
Or, the “why” can be, “Because I am so overwhelmed by God’s mercy that has been provided to me by the death and resurrection of His Son, and in awe of the majesty of God and His creative, life-giving power, everything I do is out of a heart of gratitude. I know I can never do enough to win His favor. I desperately need His grace, and because I know I have it, I desire to please Him, not out of a sense of duty, but out of a heart of gratitude.”
What is your why, and why is your what, what it is?
Danny's Stump 