What Is Your Motivation?

A recent story in my community caused me to consider the importance of the motivations behind our good deeds. What should be our reason for helping others?

When I think about doing something good for someone, what is my motivation? Am I doing it for some kind of compensation? Am I doing it to get my picture in the newspaper with an article describing the wonderful things I have done? Am I doing it to be interviewed on the news for my heroic deeds? Or am I doing it to take a few selfies and post it on Facebook?

Some people seem to take great pleasure in being the center of attention; others avoid it at all costs. What is your motivation for the good deeds you do?

The story of the tent dweller

Every year, three days prior to Black Friday (the Friday after Thanksgiving Day in the United States), I have observed three tents set up in front of a local electronics store in anticipation of the sales. The first in line has always been the same man. I have often thought to myself, Why doesn’t that guy get a life? Doesn’t he have anything better to do? How could one man possibly need that much stuff? What an example of greed!

What was his motivation? Why did he do this every year? He often made the news, both local television and the newspaper. But the news never mentioned much—usually it just commented on the beginning of the holiday shopping season and the people getting in line early to get the best deals. Was the man in the tent just an attention seeker, or was there something else at work? I had formed my opinion, and I was pretty sure I was right! But I would find the truth behind his actions a complete surprise.

The interview

This year the TV news people came to interview our local tent dweller. He made the usual comments about getting good deals at the store and how he does this every year. That was pretty much the end of the interview.

A couple weeks later, I was drawn to an article about this same man in our local community paper. He had disclosed his motivation to a reporter for the first time. The man has followed this same schedule for years because he wants his money to go as far as possible. He buys electronic items and donates them to local charities. He has asked that the recipients not know his identity either. He was so secretive that he didn’t even let his wife know what he was doing for a long time.

Lessons from the story

My surprise at the story behind our local tent dweller’s annual shopping activities led me to consider what God says about motivation. Jesus addresses this subject in the Bible: “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven” (Matthew 6:1). He goes on to show the kind of compensation we should desire: “But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly” (verses 3-4).

God knows everything we do—and He is the One we should be trying to please. We are not to advertise our service or charitable deeds so people will know what we are doing. God will reward us in His own way—possibly in a way we would never expect. God’s blessings are much more important than the temporary commendation of people!

Although it initially appeared that this man was exhibiting greed for material possessions, he was, in reality, making an effort to maximize his charitable deeds without letting anyone know about them.

I learned two lessons from this man’s example. First, our assumptions about the motivations of others can be wrong. And second, we should deeply consider what our own motivations are when we do good works for others.

To learn more about developing proper motivations, read “Private Worship Toward God” and “7 Ways to Please God.”