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Motive in leading

I am so excited to share this because i believe it is something close to everybody's heart. The word motive can be a good term to us or a nasty term depending on our past experiences with it. We tend to use the word wrong motive much more then we use the word right motive right? but do u know motives can be right as well? And that in wrong motives, God can work as well?

Let me share with you an amazing verse. I am quoting this verse but please do not take it out of context here. It is not a stand alone set of verses.

It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.
~ Philippians 1:15-18 ~

I was quite stunned when i read this verse. I mean those people were serving with wrong motives and Paul didn't name them one by one and have them step down from leadership. They were after all trying to take advantage of Paul's imprisonment and make a name for themselves. Talk about wrong motives ehh. ok, here comes the next part, Paul's stand is, they are serving with wrong motives, let them serve, but is the wrong motive advancing the kingdom of God, if God is allowing it to happen, we have to rejoice as well. Paul was unselfish in this aspect.

As Paul allowed those people to fight it out and to advance the kingdom of God with their wrong motives, he also tries his best to teach these people how to serve with the correct motives because he knew that these people would not go very far with this wrong motives. Climbing up the church ladder would not be able to satisfy their hunger for power. In the later part of Philippians the story continues:
(A) Paul tries to teach these people about being selfless and humble:

then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.
~ Philippians 2:2-3 ~

(B) Paul endorses the authority of Timothy whom he knew served with the correct motive:

I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare. For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel.
~ Philippians 2:19-22 ~

(C) He told the people to let the main thing be the main thing and not let differecnes come into play.

Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.
~ Philippians 3:3-15 ~

Leaders are always placed in this predicament of serving with the wrong motives. Or whether we rise someone up who is serving with the wrong motives. But my question to you today, who ever serves with the right motives 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year. Paul knew these people were serving with the wrong motives but did he stop them from serving or belittle them? No, he allowed them to serve but continually teaching them the right stuff.

My call to you today. If you are waiting for someone to have the perfect motive in order to allow him to serve, you'll never get someone to serve. As you serve, the wrong motives become even more apparent and if the person is after God's heart, he will want to change. Wrong motives are a perpetual struggle in our Christian walk. It does not just determine whether we can be a leader or not. I talked about this before in a previous article called shadow mission but that should not stop us from serving just as repented sin should not stop us from serving God to a greater measure.

For people, one of the most threatening and obvious wrong motive is when we suspect a person to be power hungry. They come to you and tell you they want to be a CL, they want to be a shepherd, they want to be a whatever L by the end of when. You see, some of us Asians, we think humility is, "i can't do it" "i don't think i can be a cl" "I am inadequate". I tell you, that is not humility.

Being humble means:
I can't, but with God, i can.
I can do it alone, but with God, i can do it better.

Can i give you another option today? Some of them are really not power hungry. They are Impact Hungry. Don't write off every desire to serve in a great capacity as power hungry and wrong motive. I'm not saying this cannot be the case but there are other options as well. Power hungry people looks at themselves more then they look at the welfare of others. Impact hungry people looks at the well being of others more then they look at themselves.

Not that they will not struggle with motive. they will. but they have the desire to bless more then to receive from the start. And the amazing thing is, when you twitch the motive button, people can change from power hungry to impact hungry. Other then the motive part, the two are distinctively the same in terms of manifestation esp at the early stages.

Impact hungry people knows that they have a greater capacity to impact people beyond what they are doing right now. They know that God has prepared them for something greater. They know that they have something to give to a greater group of people. If you are leading such people, can i encourage you not to cap these people?

Sometimes it may be our own skepticism. Or it may be our own insecurity. But can i encourage you that these people when tapped upon, they will give their life to the cause, they will take ownership of what they are given. Encourage them to influence and give them the platform they need to do so. Spoke about this 1 week ago in transplanting people.

For those who find themselves on the wrong side of motive. Can i encourage to read the word of God and to keep your quiet time strong? Beyond that, account your motives to your leader. You are not alone in this and you are not the only devil around with the wrong motive. Trust me, your leader will be glad when he hears you talk about your struggle with motive because everyone will go through it. But don't end there. Don't go into a state of, "i'm lousy", "i can't serve". Move on from there and serve God in a greater capacity!

Wow, what a long article. Hope you received something from it.

Regards,

jie hui

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The kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.

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Friday, July 04, 2008

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