WHEN my grandsons were quite young, I was trying to explain motivation to them. The elder one agreed with me and gave me several examples of when he’d proved the worth of questioning his own motives.

The younger one listened to our conversation without saying anything so I reminded him that we were discussing the importance of asking ourselves why. He looked me straight in the eye, smiled – and asked, “Why?”

All these years later, I’m still questioning my motives, but maybe not as often as I should, because as we age it’s easy to think that we’ve found the best way of doing things.

The danger with this is that routine can easily become a rut, and it’s been said that the only difference between a rut and the grave is the depth.

So, as I determine to start questioning my motives more frequently again, I can see that most of the answers to my whys include the word love.

I do things with, and for, my family and friends because I love them. I go to church because it makes me feel loved in a deep and satisfying way that nothing else does and I love the joy I feel when I worship God. I am a local preacher because I want others to know this wonderful, all encompassing, forgiving love as well.

When I asked myself why God would love me, these words from Samuel Crossman’s hymn came to mind, “Love to the loveless shown that they might lovely be.”

This reminded me just how much love can change people and situations. God’s love can, and does, do for us what we cannot do for ourselves, no matter how old we are or whatever situation we find ourselves in.

Brenda Tregenza

Methodist local preacher, St Austell Circuit