Thoughts With Dickens
“‘It must be a mixed motive, I think,’ said Mr. Wickfield, shaking his head and smiling incredulously.
‘A mixed fiddlestick!’ returned my aunt. ‘ You claim to have one plain motive in all you do yourself. You don’t suppose, I hope, that you are the only plain dealer in the world?’
‘Ay, but I have only one motive in life, Miss Trotwood,’ he rejoined, smiling. ‘Other people have dozens, scores, hundreds. I have only one. There’s the difference . . .’”
~From David Copperfield, chapter XV
Hopefully I will not shock anyone, but I am in my first time through Dickens’ “favorite child” David Copperfield. Ever since I picked up a worn copy of Oliver Twist (still among my favorites), years ago, I have been devoted to Dickens, but for some strange reason it is not until now that young Mr. Copperfield and I made acquaintance.
Enough of that. I wanted to comment on this little passage here, which I found interesting. That’s the wrong word, I meant to say “inspiring”. From a Christian point of view, shouldn’t this hold a great deal of truth for us?
Compare just a sampling of verses: Micah 6:8; 1Peter 3:15, 2:12; Philippians 1:20-21, 3:13; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:42; 1 Corinthians 10:31; and Psalms 27:4, 73:25.
One motive? Try the greatest commandment of loving God with all your being and seeking to glorify Him in all that you do, say, think, feel. When we have one motive and focus in life (if it is the proper one, that is) “all these things shall be added unto you”. Examining our motives (especially “right things done for the wrong reason”) ought to be a regular practice of all Believers. Sometimes very painful, because we have to look at ourselves for what we are, but what is that when we have peace with God?
As this is my first time through D.C., I will observe with interest what becomes of Mr. Wickfield’s one motive (which seems to be his daughter’s well-being). Isn’t Dickens grand?
‘A mixed fiddlestick!’ returned my aunt. ‘ You claim to have one plain motive in all you do yourself. You don’t suppose, I hope, that you are the only plain dealer in the world?’
‘Ay, but I have only one motive in life, Miss Trotwood,’ he rejoined, smiling. ‘Other people have dozens, scores, hundreds. I have only one. There’s the difference . . .’”
~From David Copperfield, chapter XV
Hopefully I will not shock anyone, but I am in my first time through Dickens’ “favorite child” David Copperfield. Ever since I picked up a worn copy of Oliver Twist (still among my favorites), years ago, I have been devoted to Dickens, but for some strange reason it is not until now that young Mr. Copperfield and I made acquaintance.
Enough of that. I wanted to comment on this little passage here, which I found interesting. That’s the wrong word, I meant to say “inspiring”. From a Christian point of view, shouldn’t this hold a great deal of truth for us?
Compare just a sampling of verses: Micah 6:8; 1Peter 3:15, 2:12; Philippians 1:20-21, 3:13; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:42; 1 Corinthians 10:31; and Psalms 27:4, 73:25.
One motive? Try the greatest commandment of loving God with all your being and seeking to glorify Him in all that you do, say, think, feel. When we have one motive and focus in life (if it is the proper one, that is) “all these things shall be added unto you”. Examining our motives (especially “right things done for the wrong reason”) ought to be a regular practice of all Believers. Sometimes very painful, because we have to look at ourselves for what we are, but what is that when we have peace with God?
As this is my first time through D.C., I will observe with interest what becomes of Mr. Wickfield’s one motive (which seems to be his daughter’s well-being). Isn’t Dickens grand?
posted by Rachel S. at 2:49 PM
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