It’s All About Motive

“Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you Ye seek Me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.  Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for Him hath God the Father sealed.”  John 6:26-27

Motive is that inner drive that causes someone to act in a certain way.  When a crime is committed, those responsible for uncovering the truth always look for a motive that caused the perpetrator to do what he or she did.  God is very aware of the motives which guide our behavior.

The crowds had been blessed by the miracle of the loaves and fishes and had recognized Jesus as a prophet.  He departed from them, going to Capernaum, and the crowds followed Him.  He was very aware of their motive:  they were excited about having their bellies filled with no real effort on their part.  One might say they were beginning to fall into that trap of an entitlement mentality.  They wanted to follow Jesus for what earthly blessings that He could do for them.  Jesus told them that it was more beneficial for them to not focus on what perishes, like the food they just ate, but instead, focus on what will carry them through all eternity, a relationship with Him which is guaranteed by God the Father to meet all of man’s needs.

However, the crowd still didn’t understand that it is a relationship with God’s Son that gives life.  They asked Jesus to tell them what sort of works that they could do to please God.  Jesus gave them a simple but profound answer, “This is the work of God, that you believe on Him whom He hath sent” (John 6:29).  No fancy works, no rituals, no traditions; just an honest and sincere dependence on Christ and Christ alone.  God made the way back to Him simple and sure, yet man, in his pride, wants to make it complicated and wants to make salvation somehow dependent upon himself.  Why can’t people just believe God?  His way is the only way.