I am not a sociologist and I offer this only as an illustration. When we don’t understand the deepest motives of our actions, the actions we think are “righteous” will die a quick death.

Those who follow Christ, those who don’t follow Christ. Other religions. No religion. If our actions are not thought out and flowing out of a deep well, they will come to nothing in a hurry. They will be thrown onto the high pile called “good intentions.” Quickly.

Eight years ago I watched a small group of people who hated the outcome of the election desire to befriend immigrants to “counteract” the policies of the incoming administration. They met a few times and looked at several models of potential action from other places in the world.

They didn’t know any immigrants going into this idea. Their deepest motivation was anger and fear. They met a few times and nothing came of it.

We also think we can be motivated by an emotional love. It’s not “hate” driving us, but a deep concern that emotionally gets us when we see the need. Think of those pet adoption or pet rescue commercials with that Sarah McLachlan song playing. Gets me every time!

But if we don’t understand the roots of “emotional” love, we will fall short in our efforts as well.

Bonhoeffer in his book, Life Together, speaks powerfully to the motivations of emotional love and spiritual love.

Emotional love lives by uncontrolled and uncontrollable dark desires; spiritual love lives in the clear light of service ordered by the truth. Self-centered love results in human enslavement, bondage, rigidity; spiritual love creates the freedom of Christians under the Word. Emotional love breeds artificial hothouse flowers; spiritual love creates the fruits that grow healthily under God’s open sky, according to God’s good pleasure in the rain and storm and sunshine. (p. 44)

Our motivation of “love” needs to be examined. The longest enduring work is best sustained by the love of God.

When I look back on situations where I had the deepest relationships, saw the most significant things done, and so many more examples, it was the deep love of Jesus driving me every time. I had long friendships with Muslims because the love of Christ motivated me. I didn’t love them to “win them to Jesus.” I didn’t love them because America began to truly fear and hate them after 9/11. Something deep happened in my life that kept me building relationships with Muslims that led to long friendships I cherish.

We don’t build relationships to be like multilevel marketing people: if something comes of this relationship, great. If not, I’m moving on.

We don’t love people … unless they don’t come to Jesus.

We love others because Christ first loved us.

It is the deepest sustaining force I have found to enable me to do life. Fear won’t motivate me. My own need for love won’t motivate me. Anger at a policy won’t motivate me.

It is when I see someone else as Jesus sees them … then I find that deepest motivation.

We need to rebuild our deepest motivations of spiritual love.