What motivates a heart surgeon to become better at her work? What motivates a Major League pitcher to shave a whole point off his ERA? Why does a man give his co-worker a box of cookies? Why does a Christian support her neighbor?
It's hard to say. But we naturally know what types of motivation are honorable and which ones are a bit disgusting, quite frankly. A heart surgeon might have a natural curiosity for medical science or a calling to help those who are sick. Those would be honorable motivations for a surgeon to become the best. But other motivations might be money, pride, the admiration of her colleagues. Are those what motivate your doctor?
A professional pitcher might work extremely hard in the off-season to improve his pitching so that his team would have a better chance of winning. But unfortunately nothing motivates a ball player more than being in the final year before free-agency, when he can freely offer his services to the highest bidder. A great season can add millions to the payday check. The Indians have a pitcher in that boat in 2008... at least the Tribe will reap the benefits for one season.
Or how about that man who gave the cookies to the woman in the first cubical? We have no idea what motivated him to do that, but I sure can tell you what they're saying around the water cooler. Let's just say most people think he's expecting something from our young co-worker in return for the chocolate chips.
Romans 15:2 says "Each of us must please our neighbor for the good purpose of building up the neighbor." When a Christian reaches out to someone else in love, what is the motivation? Is she motivated by the good feeling she receives from doing a good dead? Is the motivation the hope that he will be liked? Maybe, its the idea: If I'm nice to him, he will be nice to me. Paul doesn't see it that way in Romans. Our motivation for loving our neighbor should not be self-centered. Don't love your neighbor so that you can be loved, or so you can feel good, or so they might return the favor some day. And for heavens sake don't EVER love your neighbor so you can go to heaven. That's the most selfish motivation out there.
Love your neighbor just to love them. Help those in need because they need help. Love is our motivation.
If faith is a journey... then loving others for the right reasons is the first exercise we do as we begin training for the journey. It's our core action as people who have said "yes" to Jesus' call to follow him.
