To Motivate

 

And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.

Colossians 3: 23 - 24 NKJV 

The story goes that NBA legend Michael Jordan was at dinner prior to the start of the 1996 finals when he ran into opposing coach George Karl in the same restaurant.  Jordan was expecting a greeting from the Seattle coach, but got nothing of the sort.  In fact, Karl simply ignored Jordan the entire time.  Feeling slighted, Jordan used this moment as motivation to defeat his opponent.  The Chicago Bulls did just that...in six games.  Michael Jordan ultimately won the most valuable player award for the series.  I was thinking of this episode the other day as I went through another session at the gym.  The question came to me, what is it that motivates us?  I have to admit that I do get some inspiration whenever I hear that someone is of the belief that I can't do something.  I don't normally take it to the Michael Jordan level, but I do tend to take more than a few of these slights personally.  This can be a good as well as a bad thing.  Good in that I have motivation for that which I do, bad because it has caused conflict between myself and others in the past.  For where I see someone doubting my ability may not be anything but that same person looking out for me.  Still, I've taken far too many of these interactions personally.  So, what is it that motivates us?  Well, there will be a different answer for different people.  While Michael Jordan may have used his interaction with George Karl to fuel his championship run, someone else may have just as well forgotten about it.  These days I find myself not depending so much on what others think of me for motivation, but on the man that I know I am.  

Reputation is who men think you are.  Character is the man God knows you are.

So who am I?  For that I turn to the apostle Paul, who gives us a insight into the person we all are inside.  Paul tells us that our one true identity lies with Christ Jesus who lives in us {Galatians 2:20, Romans 6:8}.  That's right, the man that I am has never been defined by my appearance or family name, but by Jesus Himself.  The knowing of Christ in me is not something I found taught in a church sermon.  Nor in a church Sunday morning class.  Rather, my knowledge of who I am in Christ came to me the same way it came to Paul, through the revealing of my heavenly Father.  Did Jesus ever use anything to motivate Him?  Well, I believe that Jesus used His work for the Father in many ways to motivate Him in those times where He may have been feeling down.  Now, no matter what you've ever heard about Jesus, He was indeed a man and subject to human feelings and emotions just as much as you or I.  I do believe that there were times that Jesus Himself needed motivation to continue the work the Father was doing through Him.  We are told that Jesus wept {John 11:35, Luke 22:44}.  We have all heard of Jesus' rant against the Jewish authorities of His day {Matthew 23:1-36}.  So what is it that I use for motivation?  Simple, despite all that is going on all around me, I know exactly the man I am.  I am not defined by appearance, heredity nor what others may think of me.  THIS Jesus is the man who I am.  

And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.  Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.  And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."  Therefore, most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christs sake.  For when I am weak, then I am strong.  

2 Corinthians 12: 8 - 10 NKJV 

~Scott~