Should we start with “Why?”
If you haven’t seen Simon Sinek’s Ted presentation, it’s worth checking out. He says to “Start with Why?”
Motive
Simon Sinek’s presentation is all about our motive, or why we do things. The Sermon on the Mount is all about motive, too. Jesus said it’s not just about what we do; it’s about why we do it. He reinterpreted the Law to say that God isn’t just interested in your external action. He’s interested in your internal motive. So, God’s Law is not really about simply not doing terrible things like killing, or committing adultery. He’s wants us to change our hearts, to change our motive, such that our actions flow from a heart of love (see Matthew 5-7).
Should we stop with “Why?”
Our greatest motivation is love. But, where does love come from? Isn’t it true that love breeds more love? Think of the people you love deeply. Isn’t it often that we love them because they love us? What if someone loved us so much they’d rather die than live without us. Wouldn’t that make us love them?
Where should we start?
The Apostle John wrote, “We love him because he first loved us,” I John 4:19. Christ loved us so much he died for us.
Love was his “Why.” So, we start with Him. We start with who He is and why He did what He did. You see, it’s His story, and we get to be a part of it. It’s our story, too. It starts by telling us the answer to the question, “Who?” It starts with…
“In the beginning God.”
Somewhere in the middle, this story has a cross.
And, in the end, it has a crown. This story give us purpose, and it gives us hope.
He is our “Why.”
He is that which transforms our identity (who) and our motivation (why). He is our all in all. He is our Alpha and Omega. He is our beginning and our end.
