For we must all appear and be revealed as we are before the judgment seat of Christ,
so that each one may receive [his pay] according to what he has done in the body,
whether good or evil [considering what his Purpose and Motive have been, and what
he has achieved, been busy with, and given himself and his attention to accomplishing]
(2 COR 5:10 in the Amplified Bible)
Here's my definition of motives. Why you do what you do!
The reason why I feel impressed to write a small chapter on the subject of motives
is, because over the course of the years, mine have not always been right. And a
result, I have wasted a lot of precious time, settling for a few crumbs, or a few
moments of vain glory, (the praises and approval of men) when all the while, I could
have had the whole loaf and the praises of the Father.
I have learned, that in the sight of God, it is not so much WHAT YOU DO that counts,
as much as WHY YOU DO WHAT YOU DO. In other words, your Motives and not your
Actions are mainly what God is looking at and judging. For it is written! "man looks
on the outward appearance, but God is looking at and checking out the motives of the
heart. (I Samuel 16:7)
Is it any wonder, why so few individuals as well as ministers Win God's approval?
I could only speak for myself, but the truth is, I remember wanting to be in the
ministry for the wrong reason, cause at that time, I really didn't love God's people; I
loved myself. I really didn't have their best interests at heart; I had my own, simply
because my heart wasn't right.
A STORY OF IMPURE MOTIVES
Honestly, till this day, I can vividly remember being the worship leader of this great
church, in Staten Island, where God was Mightily Pouring out his Spirit. Sad, but I
could still see myself sitting there in the front row with the rest of the so called
leaders, smiling, acting as if I was enjoying the service and was connected to the
Pastor and to what he was preaching about, when all the while, (IN MY HEART) I
was really wishing the Pastors marriage would finally fall apart, or something
drastic would happen, so that perhaps, I could then take over the church.
You might say, “Man, that's cruel!” I know, but that is who I was on the inside. Those
were the true motives of my heart. See what I';m talking about? And yet, I was so
self-deceived, that I really thought, I could get away with it and somehow, continue
to experience God's blessings in my life. Now aren't you glad, our God is patient and
long-suffering? I am!!!
Amazingly enough, the revelation of this serious character flaw in my life, was never
made real to me until after I started pastoring myself.
LITTLE DONNA
This incident I'm about to share with you is just as vivid to me today as when it first
happened 30 years ago. I remember service had just ended, and I was surrounded
by about 20 to 30 people. When someone said, “Pastor, today is little Donna's
birthday. So I got down on one knee and opened my arms wide, hoping she would
come running to me. The truth is, in my heart of hearts, I was not really interested in
that little girl at all.
It was all a show… little more than a photo op! Cause all I was really looking for, was
the praise and affirmation of the people that were there. So when I saw an
opportunity that would make me look good in front of them, I took it. How messed
up is that!
But much to my shame, just as I had hoped, little Donna came running right into my
arms with a big smile on her face. Man, I knew I had hit a home run with those
people, because as I looked around, everyone was beaming with joy from ear to ear
and saying one to another, “Look at our Pastor! Isn't he a wonderful pastor! Wow!
Then suddenly, God Almighty spoke to me and said, “Son, you are such a hypocrite!”
Man, I was totally shocked. Cause it was not man, but it was The Lord Himself who
had blown my cover. All at once, my joy turned into deep sadness, and the fear of
God had me shaking from head to foot. In an instant, I saw how ugly and twisted I
had become on the inside, and how low I had been willing to go, just to win the
approval and praise of the people.
Now this is what's crazy! Before I got saved, the kind of people that turned me off
most, were hypocrites. And now, I had become just like one of them. Now don't get
me wrong, because the truth is, there's still a little… or a lot… of hypocrisy in all of
us. Yet, there's Hope! And I am a living witness, that if we will humble ourselves, and
ask God for help. Day by day, step by step and little by little, He will deliver us and
purge us from all kind of wrong and impure motives and will not hold anything
against us...
Well, that day, I learned firsthand, that you might get over on people, but you will
never, ever get over on God. Do you remember what he said to the prophet Samuel
in (I Samuel 16:6-7) when he was looking for a king in Jesse's home?
And it came to pass, when they (Jesse's) sons were come, that he (Samuel) looked on
Eliab, Jesse's first born son and said, Surely the Lord's anointed is before him. But the
Lord said unto Samuel, Look Not at his countenance, or on the height of his stature;
because I have refused or rejected him: FOR THE LORD SEES NOT AS MAN SEES; FOR
MAN LOOKS ON THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE, BUT THE LORD LOOKS ON THE
HEART...
Then again in Hebrews 4:13 we read, “All things (not some) but all things, are naked
and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”
(Expert for The M&M's of Life by Pastor Jason Alvarez)