What If We Were Compelled by Love?

Recently I was reading at our Kids of Courage website and one of their posts caused me to ask the question to myself... “What if I was compelled by love?”

Here’s what is posted on the Kids of Courage website:

Quran Memorizers

Malaysia’s monetary unit is the ringgit

Muslims all over the world honor people who memorize and recite the Quran, the Muslim holy book. Malaysia’s prime minister awarded 2,000 ringgits (about $620 in U.S. money) per month to all past winners of Malaysia’s yearly international Quran reciting competition. The winners will receive the monthly payment for the rest of their lives.

Reading the above made me think about how churches, Christian schools and sometimes even parents use money, candy, special priveleges, a video game or other rewards to get children to memorize scripture. I’ve even seen this used with adults, in women’s ministries I’ve been apart of.

But the question is, do these “rewards” really work and are they beneficial in the long run? What if we were compelled by love — not the love of money, but our love for God?

I know that’s a shocking thought to some people, but I once heard an evangelist say: If you’re motivated to share the gospel because I said I’ll give you a thousand dollars every time you did it, but you’re not motivated to share the gospel because you love people and you love Jesus, where is it that your affections reside?

The thing that makes Christianity different from every other faith in the world, is that our God came down to us and He laid down His life for us because He loves us. Every other faith requires some form of work. Christianity requires receiving a free gift.

What if we were compelled by His love to read the bible, to study the scriptures, to memorize His word and to pray for those who He calls us to pray for? Do you think your faith would be living? Do you think that you’d have more joy?

I do.

When you consider all of the Christians that we’ve highlighted here on the blog, or in our monthly newsletter and our other resources, the one thing that all of these Christians have in common is that their love for Christ has exceeded their love of comfort, their love of money, their love of popularity and in many cases, their love for their very lives.

For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died — 2 Corinthians 5:14 NASB

What is it that is compelling you today?