When we try to influence someone to do something that is both for their benefit and for our own, we are motivating them. However, when we try to influence someone to do something that is intended to overwhelmingly be for our benefit, we are manipulating them (Smith, Learning to Lead, p 120). Motivating another, then, can be good but manipulating another is selfish and wrong (2 Cor 1:24, TCNT).
We are all to be motivators. Indeed, each of us already is a motivator whether we realize it or not. We influence others and encourage them to embrace movement toward life, light, and laughter. Perhaps we try to get others to excel or at least to persevere. Maybe we encourage them to do what seems to be right. We motivate. Hopefully, much of our motivating is done intentionally, with good motives, and for appropriate goals. We want others to draw closer to the Lord and to enjoy, worship, and serve Him.
Unfortunately, we also manipulate. Like sheep, we each go our own way (Isa 53:6) and try to get others to help us obtain what we want. As with motivating, manipulating is often done without our awareness we are doing it. We use a favorite Bible passage to win a point but don’t consider whether our interpretation needs to be modified by other applicable verses. We aren’t completely honest about our motives or we fail to tell others how our suggestion would gratify their desires rather than the Lord’s. Then there is deliberate manipulating: President McKinley repeatedly creating situations which would procure his objective of war with Spain; Churchill’s use of tears, projections of catastrophe, and threat of resignation if his plans for Italy were not followed in World War II; Chase trying to get rid of Seward from the cabinet through unfair insinuation.
Let us motivate others for their eternal good and for God’s glory ( 1 Cor 10:31). Let us increasingly give up a self-serving lifestyle which manipulates others for a Spirit-directed lifestyle which pleases Him (Phil 3:3, TNIV).
Instead of being timid, learn to be appropriately bold.