Why do we do what we do?



 "Sunset at the Grand Canyon"                                                     Pic by Jordan Wegele



"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" - Ephesians 2:10

   What makes us make the decisions we make and what makes us take the actions we take? It’s not a new question, Paul even asked it in Romans 7. Some things we do are necessary to sustain life on earth, like eating, sleeping and paying taxes. But, these functional issues are not what define us as individuals; everyone on earth has these things in common.

   When broken down, it is often a difficult question to answer. For example: Why do I go to work? To earn money. Why do I earn money? To pay my bills and put food on the table. Why do I have so many bills? To sustain a lifestyle. Do I really need to maintain such a lifestyle? Not really, it’s pretty empty when all is said and done. So why do you even go to work? Why do you even get up? There must be more.

   There is always more. The example above is void of other variables, such as social responsibilities, family, friends and spiritual convictions. So, let’s factor these things in. I do what I do to be able to provide for my family; very noble. I do what I do to impress my friends; weak, but quite common. I do what I do, because that’s what’s expected of me. Once again, weak, but even more common than most are willing to admit. I do what I do because God told me to do it. Ok, now we’re onto something here. Admitting that there is something bigger than what can be seen and quantified, the benefits of which may not be immediate; is a good start.

   If, our motivation for doing the things that we do lies solely on earthly warrant, the results will be disappointing. The bottomless hole that is; pleasing others, living up to expectations and material gain, can only lead to a life filled with decisions and ensuing actions that have very short-lived benefits. You can never fully please other people, and even if you do, you will still not be pleased with yourself. You can also never have enough possessions; when is enough really enough? It’s a crooked line of swaying moral conviction.

   However, if work is a means to an end; a way of connecting with people, making money and using your talents and skills according to what God has spoken to your heart. Then your decisions and actions have eternal consequences, because they have an eternal source. If the underlying current of your decisions are not based on what you see in front of you, but rather on hearing from God and building His kingdom, then the reason you do the things you do, will not leave you hanging. In fact, it will motivate you more and more as you start reaping the harvest of God-inspired decisions and the value of selfless actions.

 "And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing" - 1 Corinthians 13:3

   Self-centeredness is the root of all grief. Just look at every unhappy person around you, look at yourself. Is the reason you do the things that you for your own (insecure) gain? Or is it for the benefit of others, the people God loves? The people He died for … Isn’t love, the reason we are here in the first place, a selfless love? So shouldn’t our decisions be based on this same God-kind-of-love? Why other people do the things they do, I can’t say; it's more than likely it's based on fear and blind ambition. But, I do know this, that love should be the reason why we do the things that we do. A love for God and a love for His people.