Good morning, everyone.
Our verse for today comes from Proverbs 16:2, “All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes, but Jehovah weighs the motives.”
If you have been around children in even the slightest amount, you are familiar with the question, “Why?” It’s not the first word out of their mouths, but once they somehow figure out that a conversation can be extended indefinitely with just a simple response of “why” to our every answer, it seems kids love to ask why something is the way it is. And as they grow up into us, some carry on with that inquisitive nature, while others lose a bit of that natural curiosity. But we learn with just the briefest of exposures to God’s Word that He is all about the “why.” Look at the story of Cain and Abel. They both brought an offering to the Lord from the labor that God had called them to. But something was not right with Cain’s. His heart was not pleasing to God. His motives did not match his actions. And that is where we conveniently begin to lose our inward curiosity. As we separate our actions from our intent, we develop the tendency to see all of our ways as clean, but stop short of considering how God weighs them. When the “why” is laid upon ourselves and produces a less than pleasant answer, it is easy to simply stop asking it. We just back away from those times of reflection and depend upon appearance or reputation.
But God says He weighs our motives. He puts them on a scale that says what is acceptable and what is not. He compares them to a standard that He has established, and He cares deeply about the results. In fact, before we failed our first weigh-in, He already knew of our impending doom. So He made His Son come and make it possible for us to look on our motives and see what God wants to see. He made it possible through His Spirit for us to tip the scales towards Him. So even if you’re avoiding something, and the “why not” from God stings a bit, honestly lay that on His scale, where the blood of Jesus makes up for the difference. “Why,” and “why not,” matter. So let Jesus weigh your motives. His scales are true.
As we seek Him today, ask yourself why you are doing what you are doing. And even more, ask God what He thinks about what you are doing. Ask Him to make your motive to be for His glory.
Have an awesome Monday.
#4 Rich Holt
Dad of Ripken, Koy, TrishaJean, Samantha, Kakie Holiday and Raleigh
Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them.
