940) Relationships are often tricky and if we draw a line connecting any person to anyone they have a relationship with, the lines would often look like a spider’s web. We have a relationship with our spouse, our family, our friends, our bosses, our coworkers, our acquaintances with those through business contacts, with people on social media and so on. I think you get the idea. What makes these relationships tricky is that in maintaining these connections, there are often “rules” of social etiquette and professional standards that demand conformity. These can create bridges that will often be on the brink of being burned and how you and your group of individuals perceive the world, dictates whether the match is struck or not.

In looking specifically into our connections, when the motivation to keep these in tack are based solely on fear of not doing what is expected, you don’t have a mutually satisfying relationship. For example, if the only reason you do what your boss tells you is because you’re afraid of being fired if you don’t, it doesn’t make you the most dedicated worker. Why? Because if you take away whatever your boss is threatening to do to you, you don’t have any motivation to do good work.  

John 14:15 tells us of a much better motivator and that is love. Within this, there might be an element of respect, the desire to make the world around you a better place. Love replaces fear, because fear is a poor motivator. You do what you do because of your love and respect.

It’s interesting to consider how our society would change if everyone incorporated love into their motivation. Maybe we can’t solely change society, but we can change the relationships we have with others, which ultimately does change society. Love is the perfect motivator.