Are you motivated by passion for God or desire for rewards? (110-4)

One lesson that Christian leaders seem to learn and forget, learn and forget is that God’s rewards are based on faithfulness to Him rather than abilities or achievements. Read 2 Chronicles 7:11-22.

The Bible indicates God established and endorses the principle of giving rewards for good work unless it replaces God as our passion for life. In today’s Scripture God promises rewards to the nation for obedience but punishment for disobedience. The Lord stresses that His commitment is not to the newly-built temple, but to His people and their relationship to Him.

Some leaders perceive God as a cosmic scrooge who enjoys making people squirm and reluctantly dispenses reward for good behavior. This is not true. The true Biblical portrait of God in both Testaments of the Bible is just the opposite. The Scriptures consistently present God as the lover of our souls who delights in rewarding us with His joy. At the same time the Bible has multiple references to God demanding our focus be on Him. Our work is just another way to honor Him, not an activity that replaces Him. Christian leaders who forget to acknowledge God as the reason for their actions end up disappointed with the results even when they achieve their goals.

Effective leaders understand the human need for rewards for themselves and their team and they make use of recognition and compensation to lift morale and improve performance. But, if rewards are used to replace focus on God as the true source of motivation and happiness that is a mistake that ultimately has very bad results for any leader.

Ephesians 6:7-8 “Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.”