I’m very compliant.
When I was in high school, a bunch of friends unexpectedly went over to another friend’s house unexpectedly. Because I wasn’t supposed to be at a house when the parents weren’t home, upon finding out about their absence, I waited outside for my friends to finish their visit.
In college, my friends would laugh at me because instead of walking across the street from my apartment to the school, I would venture down to the crosswalk to traverse the road. Forget the fact that the rest of the student body didn’t feel the need to do the same.
If we’re playing a board game, and there’s a question about how it is supposed to be played, I will immediately fish for the rule book and abide by it.
And while being so compliant probably doesn’t do a lot to endear me to my peers, growing up it had a good effect on my self-perception. I could identify myself as “the good girl.”
Yet Scripture doesn’t say that we should do good because we will think highly of ourselves for doing it; Scripture says that we do good because of our love for and desire to please God.
And what motivates this love?
Knowledge of Him.
As Colossians 1:9-10 states:
And so from the day we heard,we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. [emphasis mine]
Did you catch that?
As we understand God and His will more, we will walk in a manner worthy of Him.
Not only because we know what pleases Him, and therefore know better what we should do, but because we have greater understanding of Who He is, and therefore don’t want to do things that would disappoint Him.
Our increased knowledge of Him increases our desire for Him. And our desire to do those things that make Him happy.
So if we want to live a life more pleasing to Him, we should learn more about Him.
- We should study His Word.
- We should spend time in prayer.
- We should listen to other Christians who know Him more.
And just like gas powers a car, that knowledge should be the fuel that prompts our good works.