Jesus puts things into perspective.
Originally posted Sept.24, 2012, at Discovering Discipleship. Republished with permission of the author.
As someone has said, “Intelligence without ambition is a bird without wings.” Striving to be number one can be healthy as long as we are able to keep it in perspective. Winning isn’t everything. Being the best isn’t everything, neither is it the only thing. The disciples apparently quickly realized that they were misdirected in their notions. But notice that Jesus didn’t scold the disciples for wanting to be great. What he tried to do was help them put it into perspective. He tells them to redirect it. He points to discipleship. He points to the Christian life of servanthood and the role it plays in our own priorities. (From a sermon by Pastor Randy O’Donnell)
Years ago I knew a young person who, to my exasperation, would not respond to either reward or punishment. It was during those years when discipline seemed my responsibility — if he “succeeded” I wanted to affirm him, and if he was irresponsible I felt that some sort of consequence needed to be applied. One day (again, to my consternation) he said calmly: “Nothing you can give or take away will make any difference. I am internally motivated.”
Wow! I learned quickly that internal motivation is powerful. Whatever (or whomever) you have at the core of your heart exerts huge influence over your choices. Think about the way young love often eclipses all other relationships. Or how prejudice excludes any possibility of connection with a stranger.
Jesus taught that the love of others unleashes our capacity to do the “best” or be the “best” in whatever role we have. Of course it is our responsibility to care for whatever skill or position we have — but not primarily for what it will “get” us. As Pastor Randy said, we don’t accumulate brownie points by doing things Jesus teaches. And we are not punished when we don’t comply. Rather, through Christ, the love of God is imprinted upon our heart — and we become empowered from within to serve others in ways we had never imagined.
Love for God and for others is the root of Christian discipleship. As we listen to Christ, words of direction are spoken that activate our gifts and abilities in miraculous ways.
Find a link to Pamela Czarnota’s congregation’s blog Discovering Discipleship at Lutheran Blogs.
You might also want to read:
Children of the heavenly father
Sharing God’s love with children
Love is hard
But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Hmmm, Maybe we can "accumulate brownie points by doing what Jesus teaches" after all. That is if you consider brownie points treasure.....
"And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck".
Hmmm, Maybe we are punished if we don't comply. That is if you consider getting thrown into the sea with a millstone tied to your neck punishment.
"As Pastor Randy said, we don’t accumulate brownie points by doing things Jesus teaches. And we are not punished when we don’t comply."
Almost 500 years from the beginning of the Reformation, I think almost everyone gets the difference between faith and works. It seems to me Pastor Randy is just parroting an old, worn-out cliche. Thing is -- and Davey has it right -- we become better people, "holy" if you will, by doing the things Jesus teaches and commands -- not to mention that we make the world a better place. And we can all testify that when we break the commandments of Jesus, we suffer -- we are "punished" in one way or another.
External motivation has a pretty short half life and is often forgotten when the stimulus is changed, but its a pretty easy thing to implement and whitewashed results can look pretty good. The results siren is so strong, I wonder if the differences between internal and external motivation might be an underlying part of how the pietists morphed away from the cross toward a theology of glory.
"Pietists" or, (since my word check don't like that word) people who hold great regard for living pious lives in Christ, are not adverse to the cross any more than antinomian folks are adverse to piety. They both just have a different range of behaviors that they consider as glorifying to God. It seems like the only things the church can speak out against, without a backlash from cross only folks, are racism, homophobia, and the Jews occupation. As long as you are speaking out against these types of sinful behaviors then you can still be considered a true believer of the Cross. No white wash needed.