Theories Of Motivation....

Today, in college we were studying some theories of motivation. We looked at Maslow's Hierarchy of needs.



Let me explain: it's basically a pyramid, which has to be read from bottom to top.  (as you can see in the picture) At the top, there are the famous words: Self Actualisation. Everybody looks for Self actualisation, nowadays don't they?. Our society thinking outcomes are: self, self, self. That's what makes Christianity so different that it stands out and shines bright in today's world: following Christ means: self- GIVING, self- DENYING, selfLESSness. Even the thought of that to a person who doesn't know Jesus Christ is ridiculous. For them, it's unthinkable. That was just one aspect of today's lecture that I wanted to share!

But, what I really wanted to write about, is something that isn't so completely different, but something on which the whole concept of Christianity is also based: Contentment.
I wouldn't have thought of that if a student didn't come up with this question: "After you get to the top of the pyramid, and you reach self-actualisation, what then?" The professor explained to him that when you reach it, you would probably have to look for some other kind motivation for yourself. She said that not one person nowadays is fully satisfied. They can be very happy at some stage of their lives, but there is always something else missing. "Oh, if I just had this car, it would make me self fulfilled!" or "Oh, if i could just have a bigger house!" or even, "Oh my dream is to get married and have a happy family someday!" are phrases you hear almost everyday. The professor went on to explain that, there are only a few people who actually got to that "zen" stageof being completely satisfied and fulfilled. "But the majority of us, mortals, cannot ever reach that stage". (all I could think of at that moment was that hymn: "With Christ I am happy, He satisfies me with His love, I'm content, I'm content with Jesus." The hymn is in Portuguese, so can't expect translation to be very accurate!)
The lecturer then asked each student in the class,(not many students, about 9 or 10. There are many people missing these days!) what would motivate them, or what would bring them self-actualisation (at least for some time, anyway). All of the students had different answers, but in fact, analysing their answers, I noticed that they were all based on the same criteria. Some wanted properties, others wanted to have a degree, one person wanted to have a happy family. After all, I thought she was going to skip me. But she didn't. She asked me, and I happily answered:
"I am completely satisfied because I have Jesus in my life..." Complete silence in the class. The lecturer, who didn't really know what to do, was truly embarrassed (great to know that the name of Jesus still shakes people! ), and asked me once more: "But what about studies?"
"They are not the most important things in my life..." I answered. She went on to the next person, still feeling awkward, from what I could see. And I began to think. Of course we will never be perfectly fine, because each morning, our sins are there to remind us of our sinful nature. That just makes Heaven the more attractive to us.
But we as Christians must learn to be content. To have utter joy and satisfaction in Jesus Christ only. To wait upon him for provision of physiological needs (as the bottom of the pyramid :)), because He said he would provide. We are to content ourselves with and in Him. We are citizens of the Celestial City! Why would worldly things ail and trouble us? Why would we complain so much about exams (that's so me!), our life, our future career? Our future on this planet is in His hands, and we already know what it will be after we leave this world: eternal joy and bliss and glory!
 I am left to wonder why we love so much corruptible things, that we can not look upward to the incorruptible glory that awaits us!
If you are living your life, not content enough with the path your life is taking, Jesus commands you to trust in Him, just as a child trusts completely in  her father. He commands us to trust and obey.  Nothing else matters.
We live discontent lives because we do not look so often at the Lord Jesus, and the house He has prepared for us. We tend to look very much to our own selves. And of course, if we look to ourselves, we will be very discouraged! We must look to Christ. He is all we need.
Of course, contentment is not something easy. It is something one has to learn, according to St Paul. And if we learn that one lesson, we will smile when things are not going the way we want, we will rejoice when there are persecutions, we will look upward when the enemy of our souls is trying to drag us to despair, and ultimately, Hell.

Sometimes, we do learn lessons in college, don't we? :)


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