"But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary."
Philemon 14
Which is better? External motivation or internal motivation? Making someone do what I want is rarely a good method to accomplish my desires. It is sometimes necessary, especially with children or Skeeter the dog. They may indeed do what I want, but it often causes rebellion or the feeling of being used. I find that if I force Skeeter to take his Phenobarbitol pill by putting it in his mouth, he will eat the peanut butter and spit the pill out. But if I let him lick it off of my finger in his time, he rarely spits it out. It sometimes takes longer than I would like, but it avoids a negative reaction (g-r-r-r-). Paul wanted to avoid such reactions with Philemon. It is much better to somehow motivate a person to want to do something. God does not use compulsion to make us obey Him, but He does call us to voluntarily obedience, and sometimes lets us encounter situations that motivate our want to. Voluntary obedience is always better.
Today's Thought: Seeking a voluntary obedience is always better than coercion.
Have a "volunteer" day. Love you.
Philemon 14
Which is better? External motivation or internal motivation? Making someone do what I want is rarely a good method to accomplish my desires. It is sometimes necessary, especially with children or Skeeter the dog. They may indeed do what I want, but it often causes rebellion or the feeling of being used. I find that if I force Skeeter to take his Phenobarbitol pill by putting it in his mouth, he will eat the peanut butter and spit the pill out. But if I let him lick it off of my finger in his time, he rarely spits it out. It sometimes takes longer than I would like, but it avoids a negative reaction (g-r-r-r-). Paul wanted to avoid such reactions with Philemon. It is much better to somehow motivate a person to want to do something. God does not use compulsion to make us obey Him, but He does call us to voluntarily obedience, and sometimes lets us encounter situations that motivate our want to. Voluntary obedience is always better.
Today's Thought: Seeking a voluntary obedience is always better than coercion.
Have a "volunteer" day. Love you.
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