Contemplative Bible Reading

Genesis 11:1-9 (New International Version 2011)

1 Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. 2 As people moved eastward,[a] they found a plain in Shinar[b] and settled there.

3 They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”

5 But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. 6 The LORD said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.”

8 So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. 9 That is why it was called Babel[c]—because there the LORD confused the language of the whole world. From there the LORD scattered them over the face of the whole earth.

I know many good people who are doing good things. I know many strong Christians who do many great acts of love.

What is their motivation?

I don’t know the answer to that question. Motivation is something that is inside a person. Perhaps I can sometimes see an outward manifestation of their inner motivation. Mostly though, I am clueless.

Here is one test of motivation provided by Nimrod and his followers following the flood. They gathered at the plain of Shinar to build a great city.

The motivation:  so that we may make a name for ourselves.

Ah, they wanted to be famous. That’s a sure test of an improper motivation.

Now let’s consider the question of questioning another person’s motivation. That’s a bad idea. That may even be a sinful idea. The last time I checked, God had not appointed me a judge of the motivation of others.

There is, however, one good place for judging motivation: myself.

What is my motivation for doing this or that or something else? Am I trying to make a name for myself?