Motivations // Matthew 5:8

We are working through the Beatitudes in this space. Today’s verse reminds us that the pure in heart will see God. The Message rendering of this verse tells us that, “You’re blessed when you get your inside world — your mind and heart — put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.” I love that! Jesus’ statement speaks to our motives. The motive for Jesus followers can be summed up in one word: LOVE. Love, according to Jesus, must be our core. This speaks to how we must love God with our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and loving neighbor as we love self (Mark 12:30-31). Jesus referred to this as the Greatest Commandment. He followed it up with the Great Commission to go out into the world to make disciples. This is how we put our motives into action of loving God and loving others.

There are essentially four things that motivate us: expectations, fear, guilt, and reward. Jesus wants us to make sure that our motives are pure. To do this, we must make sure our inside world is in line with God’s motive and mission. We are to love and lead people to Jesus. We invest in people and invite them to a relationship with the Lord. Essentially, we must rise above the things that put self at the center…those are the things we expect, the things that scare us, the regrets we carry, as well as the rewards we seek. We must look beyond those self-centered motivations and get into the heart of God. That, my friends, is where we see our own life take shape, too.

So, what motivates you? Which motivations do you need to check? How can you make love of and for God and others your core? When you do, your eyes will be opened and you’ll be able see Jesus’ own motive and mission!