We live less than a hundred feet from our local school, but several years ago we raced nearly every day to get past the gates before the bell.

My daughter wouldn’t get up! No threatening, no bribing, no motivation could get this strong-willed child out of bed so we could get to school on time. That is, until, she fell in love.

Really.

We discovered a charter school for the arts that saturates their curriculum in creativity. Though the classes begin an hour before our local school, though my daughter has to be up an hour prior to that, we’ve had no struggle. She loves her school that much.

Love motivates from the inside out. It compels us to do things because of our emotions, our wills, are bent to go that direction.

The wise evangelist Henry Drummond summarized Jesus’ words this way, “If you do one thing, you will do these hundred and ten things without ever thinking about them. If you love, you will unconsciously fulfill the whole law.”

Love turns the burden of obedience to joy.

When we have a great love for God, when we can marinate our thoughts in His goodness to us, when we dwell on the gifts He’s given, we will find ourselves naturally driven to do what’s right.