Family Motivation

Wayne Harris

What motivates your family? Do you have a vision? Is there a definite defined mission? Is your family going somewhere with momentum or just going?

I would venture to say that most families are just going. The main goal for them is survival. Pay the bills, make it through another day and react to whatever comes your way. See what everyone else is doing and see if you can keep up.

May I make a suggestion? Before you live too long in the survival mode, why not stop and assess your situation. What motivates my family? Be honest. Putting blinders on will just help you to lead your family in circles, on a train bound for nowhere.

You might answer, “My family is motivated by making money. We have a vision to purchase more grandiose houses and fancy cars. Our mission is to be the richest family in our neighborhood. Our energy is expended on money-making ventures.”

You might answer, “My family just lives. We get together and have good times. We love each other, but there are no specific objectives. We do what people in our family tree have always done. We raise the kids, go to work, come home, watch television, go to bed and start all over the next day.”

What if Jesus showed up and asked, “What are you doing with the family you were blessed with?” Do you even have an answer? If He puts his spotlight on your family, what will He discover?

Someone might say, “He would find one messed up dysfunctional family. We are not going anywhere. We take two steps forward and three back. Our family mission seems to be trying to unravel the messes we make.”

Let me put it another way. What is the bull’s eye? If you looked at the center of the target for your family, what would it be? What is the bull’s eye for your family?

Here are a few ideas to help you if you hope to take your family somewhere. First, get your family motivation from the Lord God of heaven. Start making it a practice to let everything revolve around God’s will. Make God’s will for your family the bull’s eye. Focus on pleasing God by placing your faith and daily living in Him.

A family with a vision that is focused on the teachings and guidance of Jesus Christ is a family with an eternal destination. Is your family here to just live or is it here to serve and live for God?

As much as I love family, I can see the vain nature of family gatherings where the family is all about the family. On the other hand, I can see the true blessing when a family gathers in the name of the Lord. When the purpose is Jesus, there is a motivation that stimulates all that we do.

When the family gathers, who is on the family throne? May I suggest putting Jesus Christ on the family throne? Let the vision of serving God be the vision all eyes are focused on.

What is your family mission statement? What is the mission of your family? Let me give you a couple of illustrations to help simplify what I am saying. When you think of the Kennedy family, what do you think of? What do you think the mission of the Kennedy’s has been? Start with Joseph Kennedy and study the mission of the Kennedy family. Their family mission produces politicians.

Now, start with Billy and Ruth Graham. What seems to be their family mission? Could it be that the Graham’s family mission might be spreading the gospel around world? I do not think the Graham children are carrying on the work of the evangelist by accident.

Is your family going somewhere with momentum? “My family cannot even cross the street without confusion,” someone might answer. You might say, “I have no idea where we are going. I don’t even know where we have been.”

If your family is going nowhere fast, perhaps it is time to start at the beginning. It begins with you. It is your relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ that sparks family motivation. Unless your family is blessed with a Christian mover and shaker, you may have to be the start of something wonderful in your family. The song “Pass It On” says, “It only takes a spark to get a fire going.”

Out in Green Bay, Wisconsin a football team waited for someone to come along and motivate them. In walks Vince Lombardi with a vision and more motivation than any of the Pack could imagine. He molded a team with a vision. They were of one purpose and nobody had any question as to the mission of the Packer family.

You may be the Vince Lombardi for your family.

Let me close with this. God’s people perish for a lack of vision. This applies to the family, too.

I have given you some ideas. I hope they will help you. As for me and my house, we are going to serve the Lord!