What's The Motive?

 Happy Sunday brothers and sisters in Christ! I hope and pray that your week was blessed, and that you are healthy! Today I read 1 Corinthians chapter 13, and it is now one of my favorite chapters in the bible! "The Ministry Gifts Must Be Governed By Love" was the heading to this chapter, meaning, the motive behind what you do and say for the Lord (behind every good thing you do or say period) should be lead with love. The MOTIVE behind it should be love, the reason should be love, the mindset and heart posture should be love! The definition of MOTIVE is "a reason for doing something, especially one that is hidden or not obvious." Have you ever had someone do something for you, give you something, say something to you, and instead of feeling better, or uplifted, you feel judged, hurt more, having regretted accepting whatever it is that was given! That's because the motive, or reason it was done, wasn't done out of love, it came from an unhealthy place within that person. In 1 Corinthians 13:3 is says "And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not LOVE, it profiteth me nothing." If we give to the needy, sacrifice ourselves, and go above and beyond for someone else, but not out of love, THAN IT MEANS NOTHING! That would be felt by the person receiving what your giving! Some so called 'charitable people' do things to exalt themselves, to be able to say they did it, or they helped you, or because of them you have this or that. That is not the way God wants to be. If you are in a position to help someone, to encourage or give advise, do it from a place of love. Our heart posture in those situations should be love, then the person receiving can walk away having felt the love of Christ though you! You never know what a person is going though at that moment. Whatever gift God has given you, do it motivated by love! Love should be the basis, the motivation, the reason why we do anything! Not to be seen, not to seem better than, not to boast, not to flaunt what we have, not to receive accolades, because in the end, when it comes to our soul, IT MEANS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! God does not and will not honor what you have done. Everything that we have is because of the grace and mercy and blessings and favor from God. It is God who deserves all the glory and honor and praise. When you give of your resources, time, advise to someone with that feeling of love inside, you will honor God, without even mentioning His name. The person you are helping will feel there is something different about you, something extra special about you! If you have been on the receiving end of the negative form of giving or help, than it is up to you, when the time comes, to do it differently. Don't let some other poor soul feel what you once felt! When we give cheerfully, God will reciprocate TEN FOLD! When you give without the expectation of getting anything in return, God will honor us, and we will be honored by those here on earth, giving us the opportunity to give Him the honor and praise that is due. Lead with love, no matter what the situation, not just in giving. If you lead with love during an argument, you won't say anything that would damage the relationship or the other person. I will prevent cheap shots, and low blows! It will help you not to say something that you would later regret. Love is not self exalting, it's not easily provoked to anger. Love does not rejoice in someones downfall, or gossip. Love rejoices in the uplifting, encouraging, and genuinely helping of others. Leading with love shows the maturity, and selflessness of a person, it exposes the love of God in ones life! Be that example for someone else, honor God and all the things He has done in our lives and for us, by having a heart posture of love! Recognizing and acknowledging the love that God has for you, for the love that He has shown you, will help you show that same love to others. The last verse in 1 Corinthians chapter 13 says "And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; but the GREATEST of these is LOVE." God bless you and I pray that you day and the rest of the week be blessed! I love you......and GOD LOVES YOU MORE THAN YOU CAN EVER IMAGINE!

Song of the day: "Love" by Gods Property, 

1 Corinthians 13:1-7

1."Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angles, and have not love, I am become as a sounding brass, or tinkling cymbal. 

2. And though I have the gift of prophesy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing. 

3. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing. 

4. Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up. 

5. Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoketh, thinketh not evil. 

6. Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth. 

7. Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 

1 Corinthians 13:13

"An now abideth faith, hope, love; these three, but the greatest of these is love."