Why?

It's the start of a new week.  Yeah! Monday is here again.  That is a statement of mixed emotions.  I am glad to be back working with God's Word, but I really miss my family.  I love being with my family.  I love serving with them.  The question that comes to mind many times in life is, "Why?"  Just like a two-year old asking about doing something, "Why?"

Check out this verse:

Whatever, you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for teh Lord, not for me, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.  It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Colossians 3.23-24 (NIV)

Why do you serve?  Why do you work?  Why do you do the things that you do?

This weekend my family served with Society of St. Andrew (http://www.endhunger.org/) gleaning a citrus grove in DeLand.  It was such an amazing time together with our friends and family gleaning fruit for the homeless.  We found out that fruit we gathered was being sent to Haiti to help with the relief there.  What a great opportunity to serve.

Talking with one of the guys with us, he said that he loves doing things like this.  He gets a good feeling inside when he serves and gives.  I get that same feeling.  That is because we are giving.  We are doing what we were called to do when Christ called us to follow Him.  "What ever you do to the least of these, you have done it to me." (Matthew 25.40).

Again, the question arises, "Why do you do it?"  Do you do it for the recognition of men or God?  Do you serve because you want others to pat you on the back and say what a great job you did, or because our Father rewards us.  It is Jesus Christ we are serving, not men.  We are here serving Him in all we do and with all we say.  Check out Matthew 6.1-4 for more on this subject:

Be careful not to do your acts of righteousness before men, to be seen by them.  If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.  So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men.  I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.  But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret.  Then you Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

 So, what is your motivation?  Are you serving men or God?