"Moti, Moti, got A LOT of Motiavtion"

What motivates us?  What deflates us?  It is funny that often times the same information can do both, it is all  in our attitude when hearing it.  Information can cause us to sit, depressed and stare at our computer screens thinking "there is just no use"  or it can cause that spark in our soul to explode like you just drank a gallon of high octane jet fuel!

I have one of the greatest privileges in the world.  Each week I am immersed in "youth culture."  I work with Jr. and Sr. High youth, and am pushed to my aging limits of relevance each week.  This morning I was on the phone with one of the local schools and learned that there are approx. 350 students in grades 7-12.  Let me save your head from spinning, yes I live in very rural area.  We do have a stop light in town,  however for activities after 8:00p.m.we are struggling.

As I leaned back in my cozy office chair, stared at a rather large collection of books on my shelf that talk about youth ministry and my guitars in the corners, I thought "What are you doing?"  We are the largest youth ministry in our immediate area and I find myself often patting myself on the back for how "good" things are going. 

However all the "goodness" doesn't even account for 10% of the teens that go to school 3 miles down the road!  So much for "job well done."  When I first came to this eye opening revelation I was a bit thrown back to say the least.  Really things are going good, but is it good enough?  Surely not.

So now presented with this painful percentage I (we) have a choice.  We can let it move in and deflate us.  We can allow thoughts like "the problem is to big", or "I am getting to old for this"  and they will bring us down, and make us completely useless in the battle for the lives of these teens.  Or we can Lace our boots, grab our Bibles and get busy!

Charles Spurgeon said this "Brethren, do something, do something, do something!  While societies and unions make constitutions, let us win souls.  I pray you, be men of action all of you.  Get to work at quit yourselves like men.  Old Suvarov's idea of war in mind:  Forward and strike! No theory!  Attack!  Form a column!  Charge bayonets!  Plunge into the center of the enemy!  Our one aim is to win souls' and this we are not to talk about, but do in the power of God!"

Yeah that should motivate us!  Don't be deflated by the size of the battle!  Instead, let out  your war cry, form columns, charge bayonets, and plunge into the battle!  Time to stop patting ourselves on the back and start gaining some ground!