A Pure Heart

“For God examines every heart and sees through every motive.” – 1 Chronicles 28:9 (The Message)

What do you think God finds when examining your heart? Are there places you are afraid for God to find? Are there motives that God will love? How do you know?

I once found this story.
Two monks were returning to the monastery in the evening. It had rained and there were puddles of water on the roadsides. At one place a beautiful young woman was standing unable to walk across because of a puddle of water. The elder of the two monks went up to her lifted her and left her on the other side of the road, and continued his way to the monastery.
In the evening the younger monk came to the elder monk and said, "Sir, as monks, we cannot touch a woman?"
The elder monk answered "Yes, brother".
Then the younger monk asked again, "But then Sir, how is that you lifted that woman on the roadside?"
The elder monk smiled at him and told him " I left her on the other side of the road, but you are still carrying her."

One monk dwelled on that which is considered good, while the other monk decided to do good. I wonder if that is what it means to say that God sees through every motive. Sometimes we worry so much about what others think we fail to meet the need right in front of us. However while we may have saved face in the eyes of the world, what were we then in God’s eyes? Perhaps it is time for us to pray that God gives us the wisdom to do that which keeps our motives pure in those mighty eyes.

With hope and joy,
Garrett