Here is the revelation that is shaping my life today – the motives of my doing are more important in the Kingdom of God than my doing.
Matthew 6:1-4 TPT
[1] “Examine your motives to make sure you’re not showing off when you do your good deeds, only to be admired by others; otherwise, you will lose the reward of your heavenly Father. [2] So when you give to the poor, don’t announce it and make a show of it just to be seen by people, like the hypocrites in the streets and in the marketplace. They’ve already received their reward! [3] But when you demonstrate generosity, do it with pure motives and without drawing attention to yourself. [4] Give secretly and your Father, who sees all you do, will reward you openly.”
Observation
There is a ‘what’ of the Kingdom of God and then there is the ‘way’ of the Kingdom. You can do the what, but if it’s not done in the way, then it is of no value. You can do ‘good deeds,’ the what in the Kingdom, but if you do it in a way that makes a “show of it,” then you have not done it in the way of the Kingdom and therefore it does not have the “reward” of the Kingdom. God is interested in my heart, the motives behind my ‘what’ is more than the what. The purity of my motives is more important to him.
How often do I do give of myself to feed my ego? I am feeding my brokenness that needs to be seen and congratulated with my acts of good. God wants to walk with me in healing this brokenness in me so I can give myself freely out of my true-self, the created in God’s image self, that is full of love and compassion. It’s critical to explore my motives to ensure I am not feeding my brokenness disguised by fake goodness. The test seems to be, if you need your goodness to be seen by others, if you need the accolades of others, then your motivation is brokenness and healing awaits in Her presence. Good deeds flow from being loved by God and allowing this love to shape you to be love unto others.
Application
I have fed my ego with my so called generosity for a large season of my life, I must watch that this old self does not rise again to be my motivating principle. I will stay deeply loved and mirror this love as I become the fullest expression of the truest form of me.
Response
Thank you that you do not make me live under law that simply makes demands and makes fear my motive for obedience. I live in love and love is the only motivation for life, particularly life in your ways. Thank you that you invite me and guide me into self awareness that the motives of my heart may be laid bare that I may see where healing is required and being offered. Search me is your invitation to me, not for judgement but restoration into me. What a great life I live in you!
Meditation
Meditate – Examine your motives to make sure you’re not showing off.
Consider:
How often are my good deeds done in a way for all to see, that I may receive their accolades?
How often do I invite the searching of my heart that my motives may be laid bare?
JOURNEY DEEPER
