“It is motive alone that gives character to the actions of men”…….if you study history….you know this quote is so true. Many times we cannot know what is in someone’s heart but over time our actions can reveal the motives of our heart and define our character. What motivates us from within–our desires, our interests, our passion–all drive our motives and our actions.
Often in the Back 9, I have had to stop and ask myself, “Why am I doing what I am doing?” ………….I have learned, and am very convicted at times, to have a “gut check” and “heart check” because I have taken very seriously the verse found in Proverbs 16:2, “All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord.” For years I have read scripture and desired to apply it in my life. I take simple small scriptures and meditate on them as they pertain to me and hopefully I am maturing every day as I grow in my walk and faith. When I have meditated on this scripture found in Proverbs, I have had to ask myself….”What way seems pure to me, but may not be in God’s eyes?”….. Pure is defined in the dictionary as not mixed, free from foreign or inappropriate elements, free from defilement.
The life of Judas is a story of motive. Judas was one of Jesus’ twelve disciples and a good friend. For 30 shekels of silver, Judas betrayed Jesus. Motive? Selfish gain. In John chapter 18, starting with verse one, we find that after Jesus had been praying, He left for an olive grove. It was a familiar place to Jesus and the disciples, including Judas. They often met there, so Judas knew it well and he led the soldiers there to arrest Jesus. Fast forward the story to Matthew 27:3, “When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders.”
Judas’ motives were wrong and defiled……his selfishness and self-centeredness, his greed and pride caused someone else’s death……………Judas was so deeply sick over his actions that not only did he “throw” the money back but he also ended his own life.
IF we are all truly honest with ourselves, there are times in our lives when we have a wrong or impure motive for selfish gain ……..It may not have caused a physical death to someone, but how about the death of a reputation? or an emotional death?……What if our actions unfairly took something from someone else???? It may not be public nor written about for the world to see…..but we have to stop and know the HOLY ONE SEEs……He knows our thoughts and the REAL REASONS behind our actions………………………..
When we choose to pull off the highway of our lives and stop at a “rest stop,” it gives us a moment to think through our actions and examine our lives. It provides opportunity to critique the motives driving our daily choices, and realize that our daily choices become the SUM TOTAL OF OUR LIVES……..Do we need to come to a fork in the road?……. Evaluate our LIFE GPS system?……Do we need to plug in a different address?…..Instead of 666 Selfish Gain Drive, maybe it needs to be Philippians 2:3 Drive. “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit…..” True motives can only be known my me/you and God…….taking the time to weigh my/your motives not only can change the direction of our days but the direction of our lives. ———Take the time to STOP….and examine your motives…..”Men (people) are rarely aware of the real reasons which motivate their actions.”