People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily. Zig Ziglar

 

Andrew Carnegie was one of the world's greatest businessmen. He was also one of its best motivators. This was amply demonstrated on one occasion when his sister-in-law was having trouble getting her two college sons to reply to her letters. Regardless of her pleas, she could not get them to write back to let her know how they were doing.

 

Carnegie said he could get them to respond, and quick, without even asking for a reply. When the boys' mother expressed skepticism, he wagered her a hundred dollars that he could do so. He then sat down and wrote them both newsy letters. At the end of each letter he added a postscript, making reference to a $5 gift he was enclosing. He neglected to enclose the $5 in either letter.

 

Both boys wrote a response to their uncle's letters by return mail.

 

Pretty clever, when you think about it, but this was one of Carnegie's great gifts: He knew what motivated people. What is it that motivates you and I? Is it a desire to meet other people's needs, or is it a less honorable motivation like the greed of Andrew Carnegie's two nephews? It's clear that if the boys had been motivated from concern for their mother, they would have written to her without having to be prompted to do so. It's also clear that we will respond to our motivations, whether good or bad.

 

This is especially true when it comes to serving God. We will either serve Him because we love Him and would think of doing nothing else, or we will serve Him from much baser motives such as fear of punishment or anticipation of getting something we want from Him. One motive will lend to a very pleasant existence. All other motives will prove to be unsatisfactory - both in our response to God in this life, and in His response to us at the Judgment.

 

It is important for us to understand what motivates us in this life. God desires (and rewards) His beloved children who are motivated by their love for Him and their appreciation for all that He has done. It is pure motives that lead to a life worth living. Are we treating God in a manner consistent with faithful children... or are we treating Him more like a rich uncle who has something we want? That which motivates us will differentiate between a life well lived or one that is squandered in trivial pursuits. And, like bathing, proper motivation needs to be revisited on a regular basis.

 

For the pagans run after all these things and your Heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Matthew 6:32-33, NIV

 

Be noble in every thought and in every deed.

Longfellow

The American College Press Dictionary defines the word noble as, "Of an exalted moral character or excellence". So when Longfellow was enjoining us to be noble, he was in effect telling us to have an exalted moral character and excellence in whatever we think or do. This sets the bar high!

When we pause to consider the type of world we live in, we have to admit that nobility is becoming a scarce commodity. From the daily newspapers to the weekly tabloids, from talk radio to the evening news, it seems that all we hear about anymore is greed, corruption and scandal. And we become numb!

May I suggest that we do something to change this? As parents, we need to set the bar high. Our children need to know that the bare minimum expectation for their lives is an exalted moral character. Our employees need to know that their job description is excellence. Our politicians, policemen and school teachers need to know that we will accept nothing less than  conduct that is noble in every thought and every deed.

Easy to say, isn't it? Obviously this type of expectation for others can only be had by those willing to hold themselves to the same standard. We will have to be honest and courageous and considerate - and everything else that honorable duty demands. It is not a standard for the moral weakling, so our daily quest for nobility will have to be enforced by generous doses of God's Word and of daily prayer.

We can achieve excellence in our lives, but it will take noble plans. Such plans do not just come from any old source - they must come from a noble heart!

The noble man makes noble plans and by noble deeds he stands.

Isaiah 32:8

 

And now you know... the rest of the story.

Paul Harvey

Years ago, a little girl named Annie was placed by her family in an insane asylum located just outside of Boston. Annie was wild and uncontrollable, so the doctors placed her in a cage in the basement of the facility. She became even more volatile. At times she would attack anyone who approached her cage, at other times she didn't even acknowledge that they were present. She was considered a hopeless case and seemed destined to spend the rest of her miserable existence in that cage in the basement.

Then love entered the life of this little girl in the form of an elderly nurse who was nearing retirement.

One day this nurse set a plate of brownies outside of the cage of this wild child who had become known to those at the facility as "Little Annie" Little Annie showed no sign that she was aware of the nurse or the brownies but the next day the brownies had disappeared. She began to visit Little Annie once a week with a plate of brownies and a heart filled with compassion. Over time a remarkable transformation took place. Little Annie became controllable and approachable, so she was moved upstairs. A short time later, the doctors pronounced her cured and told her that she could return home, but Annie did not want to leave. She wanted to stay and help others - and help others she did, both in and out of the facility.

And, as to the rest of the story? Years later, when receiving the highest honor that England could bestow upon a foreigner, Queen Victoria asked Helen Keller what she attributed her incredible accomplishments to. Without hesitation, Ms. Keller replied that, had it not been for Anne Sullivan (Little Annie), the world never would have heard of Helen Keller.

Are there any "Little Annie's" in your life? While we will never know the full extent of the little acts of kindness that we do from time to time, we can be assured that their benefits will far exceed the cost of a plate of brownies or a few minutes of our time that we have spared for others. We can also be assured that Someone is watching and will bless our small sacrifices in ways that we can never know.

And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is My disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.

Matthew 10:42, NIV

 

The news has been really depressing lately, so I thought I would write about something more important for a change...

When I was a kid, Coke came in glass bottles and was made with pure cane sugar! These little jewels came in 6, 8, 10, 12 and 16 ounce bottles. There was a size for just about any thirst imaginable. They had metal caps that had to be removed with real bottle openers.

A coke always came with a smile - when I was a kid.

When I was a kid, we were lucky to get one coke every week or two - but that was okay, because it just made you appreciate it all the more. Since these little beauties were such a rare treat, it was all the more important to savor each sip. Also, there were highly unscrupulous people - back in the day - who delighted in shaking up your coke when you weren't looking. These despicable creatures did so just for the thrill of watching you shower yourself with an eruption of this brown, sticky sweetness. I was fortunate enough to get my brother a time or two, myself, with this clever trick. But... I digress.

Because of that possibility of having received a bottle thus shaken by a brother or some other unknown enemy, it was of paramount importance for one to take the cap off very slowly. Plus, if you did it just right and didn't bend the cap, you could reuse the lid and the bottle again and again for refreshing drinks of water that could be chilled in the fridge for just such a purpose. Water was a 100 times better when served in this way.

Once the lid was off and you double-checked to make sure no so-called friends were around who wanted "just a sip", you could kick back and relax and enjoy your coke. There were few experiences quite like this... when I was a kid.

Have you noticed now that we're older and can have as many cokes as we want that a coke is just not as much of a treat any more? Maybe it's because they don't use real cane sugar anymore. Maybe it's because we just have too much. Or, maybe it's because we've lost a bit of the passion that just seemed to course through our veins, when we were kids.

I'm looking forward to Heaven! I have an idea that we will get some of our zest for living back when we get there. Now don't get me wrong, I don't want to reduce Heaven to a series of fanciful pleasures, but I do think that we will rediscover the passion that we had when we were kids - when every treat was to be savored with joy and thankfulness. Christ has gone to prepare a place for those who choose to serve now in His way. I wonder what He is preparing for you and me? I can't wait to find out.

Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me. In my Father's house are many rooms... I am going there to prepare a place for you. 

John 14:1-2, NIV