Motives
Proverbs 16:3- “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” I remember memorizing this verse when I was in high school. I used the old KJV to memorize at that point, but the verse has never left my thoughts. Why would you not want to commit to God everything you do and see your plans succeed? A great recommendation by the writer. But this verse hinges on the one just previous to it, and it’s the one that got me thinking this morning. Prov 16:2 says, “All a man’s ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the Lord.”
God’s not going to bless something that we are committing to Him if our motives are not pure and right.
Most of you know that my prayer for a long time has been that God would show up and do something extraordinary in the lives of the Mexican people, specifically university students in Zacatecas. But I have to evaluate that plea. Why do I want God to show up and do something extraordinary in the lives of Zacateanos? (Don’t worry about trying to figure out how to pronounce that, you can only say it if you are one). Beyond that what about the other places we are and minister? My plea doesn’t change for places like that either, but is my motive pure and right, that God gets all the glory and it doesn’t matter about me at all or am I looking for attention and recognition that God did this through me?
You’ve got to make the same evaluation. Where does your motive lie? Because if it’s in the wrong place than it doesn’t matter how much you commit to the Lord, He’s not going to bless it!
