Motive a pretty powerful word. Webster defines it as the psychological feature that arouses an organism to action; the reason for the action;
One writer wrote…it is motive alone that gives character to the actions of men.
Motive it’s the root word of motivation.  It’s what drives every one of us to achieve success or sends us hurtling down a dark cavern of failure.
It is the one thing that will determine our true identity in the face of adversity and criticism.
Motive is the very thing that provides us with the truth behind the closed closet door of our soul and our heart…Motive.

Motive answers every question about what matters most.  Why do we love?  Why do we compliment?  Why do we share?  Why do we serve people?  Why do we sacrifice?  Why do we lead, preach, pastor, or teach?  Motive answers why!  This is the one thing that was constantly put to question by the religious sector in Jesus’ day.

Why did He heal on the Sabbath? Why did he not agree with their spin on the law? Why does He constantly cause people to question “why”? Why can’t He just agree with us and go with the flow?
Why? His motive…LOVE for people, LOVE for truth, LOVE for righteousness.

His motive was pure.  That’s why it wasn’t about agreeing to fit in, saying just the right thing to appease the religious affluent, or doing deeds to let others see and bring honor to His name. Scripture tells us He told some that were healed to keep quite.

His motivation was lost humanity, hurting people, and blind beggars.  Whether it was physically or spiritually, He healed, forgave, and died for them not for himself.

And to think you and I have been chosen to portray this image to the world around us…God forgive me!  I am falling way short. Why? Motive.

I must cease to promote me and push others upward.  I must be willing to give ALL the credit to someone else, and I mean ALL.  I must teach, preach, and lead from where I live (boy is that scary).  I must be submitted to a higher authority even when I am purposefully criticized.  And how can we achieve this Kingdom concept that says it’s not about me, my stuff, and I, but it’s about the Kingdom of God: a pure Motive, not a masterful message, not a relative blog, not a sanctuary full of people, and not a name spoken in the context of wisdom and greatness.  No, it comes down to one question …motive.  Sheep or Goat?  Which one am I becoming? Matthew describes the scene…so they ask the question, “…when saw we thee hungry and fed, thirsty and gave drink, in prison and visited thee, naked and clothed thee…and Jesus said when you did it to ONE of the least of these you did it to me and they ask when saw we thee…” Notice they didn’t purposefully set a date and get a crew together and go out and feed, clothe, and visit…they just went and did it.  Never giving thought to their actions.  Never contemplating “what’s in it for me,” not worried about attention or return for their investment, never even considering the notion that maybe they would be mentioned and praised in a message by the Pastor or in a testimony (oh boy! I better move on).  It was part of their daily life’s existence…they responded to a need.  No news camera’s, no name-dropping, no Facebook comment, or Twittering their “PEEPS,” they just did it. And in the big scheme of things, the determining factor in whether or not they would inherit the Kingdom of God or be thrown out was determined by their answer to one question, “What is you motive?” Their motivation was pure and it caused them to take action and fulfill their divine purpose in the Kingdom of God without a thought of praise, notoriety, or promotion.  So my question to myself first and then to you is, “How are we leading? Better yet …why are we leading?”  What is our true motivation?  When it is more about truly becoming like Christ than it is about merely appearing to be like Christ, then I will finally be leading a Kingdom lifestyle, and  I will become a Kingdom leader.  Honestly, I’m struggling, but on my way… YOU?