Why do you do what you do?
Doing what we ought is a simple thing, really, yet it falls in the category of "easier said than done." Motivation is difficult sometimes. Life is filled with choices and we choose that which we most want to do. Shall I fold the laundry while reading to the toddler and bouncing Baby Cakes or shall I turn on a video for the kids and take a nap? Hard choices. I know this because I don't always choose what I ought.
But back to grace. So often women will use these common things as a measure of our spiritual conditions. If my girls don matching bonnets while they recite their catechism in between bites of homemade bread, then I must be doing a good job. When really, Jesus tells us there is another measure entirely in Matthew 22:36-38: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment."
If we love Him, we will obey Him. This might work itself out in the things you describe. But the first question is this, "How can I love Him more?" Every glass of juice poured is a chance to do it for Him. There is no greater motivator in daily, common life than loving Christ more.
Why do you do what you do? To impress people, to please yourself, or as an act of service and love for Christ? I needed this reminder today.
posted by Crystal Paine at 3:19 PM
3 Comments:
oh yes, I need this reminder too. Even Jesus is not more impressed with us by our good deeds... I am learning so much about His grace. We all are given the same amount of grace, not by what we do... I am very performance ordered... I need to remember that I cannot impress Him any more... Yes, he loves to see good works done for Him, but I cannot become more loved by Jesus because of what I do. He loves me just because of grace... hard to understand and embrace sometimes... I guess it is like our children, we love them because they are our own. Nothing they do for us would make us love them more! We love them for they are our own...
An excellent reminder! Thanks for sharing these words, Crystal. I was thinking along these lines earlier this week when I didn't want to do some things I needed to do. God is abundant in His grace toward us even when we fail. He loves us because of who He is not because of who or what we are. I don't know about others, but that makes me love Him and want to obey Him all the more.
"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another."
1 John 4:10-11
I just read this piece on Amy's blog. Very timely and needed. I'm so glad you linked to it.
I need to remember to do what I do for God, but not so that He will love me more.
Blessings,
Sommer
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