Our motive determines our results

Have you ever thought about what motivates you to do something? We all desire for our lives to be better, be more productive and if we're honest with each other, we'd even like to see some wealth and prosperity in our future. Let's face it! Why do we seek that next promotion? Why do we strive to achieve results that propel us into the spotlight? We're all trying to move from where we are to another place that we want to be. We can see that if we make more money then we can provide for our families better. The motive for wanting wealth and prosperity can be an honorable motive. The motive for recognition could be so that we'll be noticed and appreciated and then in a position to be able to get that next advancement in our career we've been striving for. Whatever our motive, one things for sure... If our motive is pure and revolves around God's purpose in our life, then God will bless us in ways we never dreamed or expected.

Have you ever had dreams and plans that just didn't seem to work out? You think, "Well if I do this, then this will happen, and when that happens, I can pay off this and that, then I'll be making more money, then I can get this house, then when I do this, I'll get that other promotion I've got my sight on. Then I'll be able to afford this and I can send my kids to this school and live in this neighborhood. If I can just make all this happen then life will be great!" What a mistake we make when we try and determine how we want God to bless us! The focus, rather than being on the outcome or the rewards, should be on God. How can I serve and honor God in my work? How can serve and honor God in my schooling? How can serve and honor God in my marriage and my family? How can serve and honor God in my Church? If we would put as much thought and time in these goals and dreams rather than the outcome or the end result, we just might be amazed at the end result or blessings that God has planned for us. It's all about trust and our ability to have faith in God with our lives. Let Him have it! Give Him all we are and allow Him to live through us.

King Solomon had it figured out. Rather than seek wealth, rather than seek prosperity, rather than seek anything that was a by product of God's blessings, he sought God's wisdom and knowledge.

8 Solomon answered God, "You have shown great kindness to David my father and have made me king in his place. 9 Now, LORD God, let your promise to my father David be confirmed, for you have made me king over a people who are as numerous as the dust of the earth. 10 Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?"
11 God said to Solomon, "Since this is your heart's desire and you have not asked for wealth, riches or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, 12 therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, riches and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have."

I want us to think about these verses for a minute. Everyone of us are leaders in one way or another. You influence others around you every day. Maybe you own the Company and you are the CEO, maybe you supervise a department within an organization, maybe you're a leader at church, maybe you're a friend that has influence on another person. If you are a husband, a wife, a friend, a co worker, a son or daughter, no matter who you are, you're leading and influencing someone all the time. So I ask you... what kind of success have you had with your ability to influence and lead others? What has been your motive? Why do you do it? What can we learn from King Solomon?

1. Solomon's motive was to thank the Lord God for his great kindness that He showed to his father David. Solomon was thankful and appreciative of what God had done in the past!


2. Solomon knew that he was in the middle of God's plan for his life and that God had directed his steps up to this point in his life, so he trusted Him with the rest of it as well.


3. Solomon understood and knew that the people he was leading were not his people, but rather they were God's people that God had entrusted him to lead. This knowledge kept him from being prideful and self honoring.


4. Solomon knew that since these were God's people and that he had been placed in this position by God to lead, then he asked for God's Wisdom and Knowledge to make the right decisions governing His people as their leader going forward.


5. God Blessed Solomon more than any other king as ever been blessed.

God blessed Solomon with great wealth, great riches, and great honor, that no other King has ever seen, nor will ever see in the future. Why was Solomon blessed in this way?

Because he wasn't concerned about his own results that he could achieve with the power and leadership placed upon him as King, but rather he was only concerned about doing the will of God in this place of leadership that God had placed him in. It wasn't his Kingdom, it was God's Kingdom and Solomon realized that he was given a great responsibility as the leader and King of God's people.

The question I have for each of us is this... Are we trying to achieve in our own strength, are we trying to work out our dreams and visions as we see them happening based off of our own abilities and accomplishments, or are we seeking the wisdom and knowledge of God to carry out His plan wherever we've been placed in it at the time. Maybe we should focus less on where we want to be in the future and seek God's wisdom and knowledge to know what to do where He has us today... right now.

Let God take care of the future since it's all His anyway. May we be more willing to live today for him and trust Him with what tomorrow brings. I don't think any of us can out guess what God would like to do for us in the coming days, if only we would leave it up to Him rather than always getting in the way of His plan. So... "What's your motive for doing what you do every day?"