Why do I do it?

It is interesting to ponder why anyone does what others want them to. In studying people, we find that obedience is driven by different things at different stages of maturity. In fact one can measure the life maturity of someone by the “why” of their obedience.

1. Infants obey because they don’t want to be punished and/or they hope for a reward. Things are not right and wrong, but they do bring consequences. This seems shallow but God had Joshua put half of Israel on mount Gerazim and half on mount Ebal and he stood in the midst and said, obey God and be blessed or disobey and be cursed. God then spent hundreds of years trying to get his people to remember and obey despite endless repetition of the blessing and curses, the people still went for the short term pleasures of sin rather than the long term blessings of obedience. The Holy Spirit convicts of judgement to come in order to help me obey and follow his will. I need to lay a foundation of seeing the good that will be, if I obey and of fearing the evil that will come if I disobey. Then I may build on this foundation with the next step
2. Next the infant matures a little and adds doing what is right in order to please his parents. I know that God loves me but I am often stuck on step one and feel that he is just watching me to find fault and spank me if I mess up. Sure, I remember that he spanks sons he loves and that the spankings work out blessings but it is hard for me to picture doing things to delight and please him. A good father genuinely delights in the imperfect efforts of his children. The drawing that does not look like anything recognizable, is still a drawing. The son sharing his thoughts and feelings and wanting to live life with his father is a delight to an earthly father. And if we being evil are good to our children, “How much more will my heavenly father delight in sharing life with me?” Luke 11:13 He will give me his Holy Spirit so that I can walk and talk with him each moment of life, and we can delight in each other. Proverbs 15:8 “The prayer of the upright is the Lord’s delight. I Thessalonians 4:1, 2 Timothy 2:4
3. Next, we learn to do right and shun evil even if we are punished for doing right, are rejected by our peers for not participating or anger our parents and others for doing right. We learn to fear God and no one else.
4. Lastly, I stand firm in obedience but learn how to be in community and how to influence them toward the right, I do not compromise but, in meekness, pick my battles and remember that it is the Lord’s job to grant them grace to see the truth. 2Timothy 2:25. I take heed to examine myself and have the log taken out of my eye before poking around in other people’s eyes.

So, where are you in the maturing as to why you do things? Does it take a spanking to get you to consider that obedience is more than just getting saved but is a way of life? Do you ask how happy you have made your father today? Do you delight in him and walking in the Spirit? Do you worry too much about what others, even other Christians, think of your obedience? Do you seek to influence others in meekness, instructing them and sharing how God has helped you in the same areas?

I find that I slide up and down on the scale but I do seek to obey for all the above reasons, So help me God.