“Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.” 1 Corinthians 10:32

Remember the children’s book, The Little Engine That Could? The story of the little engine has been told and retold many times, but the underlying theme is the same — a stranded train is unable to find an engine willing to take it on over difficult terrain to its destination. Only the little blue engine is willing to try and, while repeating the mantra “I think I can, I think I can”, overcomes a seemingly impossible task. It has been used since 1902 to teach the power of positive thinking and how to meet challenges ahead.

Since the little train is only a story, and as trains cannot think or will anything, it should be safe for me to derail this little guy! After all… its only a story! Trains are inanimate objects lacking any kind of personality. The idea that all the other bigger trains refused to haul the big load over the mountain kind of mocks their creator! That is WHY they were invented in the first place. Secondly, trains cannot go where there are no tracks… and SOMEONE had to LAY them over the mountain in the first place! In other words, trains were CREATED to go over mountains on tracks! The little train ‘could’ because that was what he was created to DO!!! Now how about people?

There is 1 train and 2 tracks. God created mankind to Glorify AND to be in a relationship with Himself. And like most things in life, we run on a dual system of tracks that give us a firm footing, but only when we follow them.

The Bible clearly shows that just DOING something doesn’t make it right. It is often not just WHAT you do, but HOW you do it. Since it is possible to do right things in a wrong way. Likewise, it is not just WHERE we go, but WHY we go there! Our motivations of where we move have to coincide with our creator’s purposes, or we will derail! Just being one’s ‘self’ does not a hero make!

I find that when I come to God, He checks me on my how’s and why’s MUCH more often that He does on my where’s and what’s. He’s kind of nit-picky about that. And if you love Him, you will find His Holy Spirit nudging your spirit when you try to go it alone, or for your own reasons. After all. We were created for HIS very purpose. We are a TEAM called Church! His Bride! And He takes us VERY personal.

Are you motivated for Him?