Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Monday August 2, 2010

For most of my adult life I have studied the word and the industry of "Motivation." Getting people moving and moving with life, enthusiasm, fervency is one of a pastor's main efforts, for if he fails to motivate people he ends up doing everything himself and getting far less done than if he can find the "hot button."

As with most serious students of getting anything done through properly directing others, I have tried everything from silly circus type campaigns, to drama, bringing in highly thought of (especially to themselves) ministers, paid singers who do not sing as good as I, to monkeys, trained birds, The Flying Wallendas, to even one lady who claimed that through Christ she became a good mother in law.

Some years ago a jockey who had jockeyed his mount to victory in the Kentucky Derby was asked how? He replied, "Well, to win a horse race you have to motivate the horse." The reported asked, "And how did you motivate your horse?" The Jockey replied "Poetry." "Poetry, how can poetry motivate a horse? Share the poem with me." The jockey smiled and said; "I whispered poetry to him, "Roses are red, violets are blue; horses that lose are turned into glue.'"

Now that is powerful motivation!

The desire to win, to excel is essential in any sort of competition. And each one us is in competition. Oh, I don't mean that one church is competing against another. Small people do that. Serving the Lord is more like golf than other sports in that a true golfer knows he competing against his former best. In life knowledge of this truth is of paramount importance.

We must make a decision to be more like Jesus than we were yesterday if we are to grow in the Lord. When an athlete becomes satisfied with his performance he is on his way to riding the pine and ultimately a seat with other spectators. I knew Eddie Feigner, famous as the driving force/pitcher on the King and His Court. Eddie said that getting paid is NOT what really defines a professional in any sport. A professional athlete practices his/her specialty every day. And he/she is never satisfied.

Notice this "motivating" thought from Paul in Hebrews 12:1-2: Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2010 Use with credit

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