Motives

"All a man's ways seem right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the motives." - Proverbs 16:2

Dang! So humbling.  Makes you take a serious heart check doesn't it?  It is so easy to justify situations to make them seem okay.  To interpret the Word to your liking and not take it for what it is.  I know I've been there.  Scripture slapping me in the face but choosing to look the other way because it was more "comfortable" or seemed hard to realize and change.  Even more so, you can be doing great acts of service and kindness to others but where is your heart?  Are you grumbling as go out of your way to do someone a favor or are you happy to show them an act of love and gracious for the opportunity to do so?  Do you then return to the person you did the favor for and smile and say, "Oh no problem! I was happy to do it for you".  You may fool that person, but you won't fool the Lord because he knows your motives.  He even knows your half motives, and semi-thoughts that you don't even let come full circle.  Why do we do the things we do?  If we are deep in the Word and getting spiritually fed then it is easier do things out of a loving heart, rather than a hardened one.  What were Jesus' motives in dying on the cross for our sins? Selflessness.  Love.  Obedience.  When thought about like that, we should take those same motives and apply them to our everyday encounters.