Motivation for Ministry

The year was 1972 and I had just settled in on the couch for the Dolphins game. It was Sunday afternoon and I was living in Dunedin, Florida. I had become a Miami fan and they were at their peak. It seems just as I had gotten comfortable with all the snacks on the coffee table that the doorbell rang. I blew a little as I got up to answer the bell and there in my doorway was a man in a suit wanting to invite me to church! Aaarrgh!!! I don’t remember what I said I just remember closing the door rather loudly. Yes, I was running from God and yes I needed someone to help me get back on track with the Lord. However, something about this whole thing really bugged me. I admit that it was a kind of confrontation that at least made me think of the Lord but that is about all I can say about it. The thing I remember thinking was, “this guy’s just out to get his newest Scout badge”! I didn’t like being a part of it.
We are always being told to “reach out, evangelize and minister to people.” Yet, there has to be more to it than that. Does timing, circumstances, or personal connection matter? I think they do. The poor guy that rang my doorbell was certainly trying to be obedient to the Great Commission but maybe the preacher that got him going, left out a point or two. For me it was that we had no personal connection. Yes, I know there are certainly times when we have those special moments when the Holy Spirit opens the door for a “woman at the well” experience. Those times are special indeed. However, on a day to day basis, we need to learn to be more open to the inner leading of the Holy Spirit to help us find the door to a person’s heart in order to bring the good news to them. Now a little more confession of sin: there was a time I had been sick for about a month. I had been overrun by hyperactive Christians who wanted to help me get well. Everyone had an answer. Then a Brother came who said he had “a word for me”. I literally got out of a sickbed to hear this guy. It was harsh, bitter and judgmental. I rose so weak I was shaking and said, “I’m going to ask you to leave my house now”. He seemed a little shocked and said, “Obviously, the bridge of our relationship wasn’t strong enough to hold the load I was trying to deliver to you”. While I still believe his “word” was coming from his own personal frustrations with me and not from the Lord, I learned a lot from his departing statement. Now that was a “word from the Lord”! He hadn’t established a relational connection with me that allowed me to receive such an intimate word of correction from him.
Let me now use a very worldly example to help us better function in the ministry to others. In solving a murder the police look for three important things that point to a person as a suspect. They are “means, motive and opportunity”. I think these three things can be helpful in making sure a person is ready for our ministry rather than just “ringing the doorbell” and seeing what flushes out! Let’s begin with “opportunity”. Be sensitive to the Lord in determining if this is really a moment of opportunity for this person. I had one of those situations recently with a waitress who was serving me. I’m there with my mind only on my meal when the Holy Spirit just opened up this woman to me. I could see her pain and the Lord told to tell her something. It stunned her but gave her hope. You could see the change in her eyes. This was one of those special times. After opportunity let’s look at “means”. We certainly have the means to help others if we have the Holy Spirit in us. We should all accept today that we DO have the “means” to make a difference in the life of another person. Our last check point is “motive”. Here is the heart of my article today. What is our motivation in wanting to help people? Is it condemnation from a church or pressure from others? Is it pride in wanting to put a new scalp on my belt? Am I trying to make God love me more? All these reasons are wrong and distorted. Believe it or not, the person you are trying to help can sense your motivation, whether pure or impure. The Scripture says that when Jesus “saw” the multitudes, he was moved with “compassion”. People can sense and even feel compassion because it is the heart of Jesus coming through you. Join me in asking the Lord for a fresh revival of “seeing” people as they really are in order to have true “compassion”, the only genuine motivation for ministry.