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

Worthy of Praise: Being Rich

Brothers and sisters, think about the things that are good and worthy of praise. Think about the things that are true and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected. – Philippians 4:8 (NCV)

 

What is good and worthy of praise?  Do you think about the things that are true, honorable, right, pure, beautiful and respected?  How does life seem when you focus on these things?  Have you met anyone whose thoughts were on such things?  What was his/her attitude about life?  What are people like who do not think on these things?

 

Another story e-mailed to me:

One day, the father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the express purpose of showing him how poor people live.

They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.

On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, “How was the trip?”

“It was great, Dad.”

“Did you see how poor people live?” the father asked.

“Oh yeah,” said the son.

“So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?” asked the father.

The son answered: “I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.

“We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight.

“We have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy our food, but they grow theirs.

“We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them.”

The boy’s father was speechless.

Then his son added, “Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are.”

 

When we think about those things that are good and worthy of praise we can see riches where others see nothing!  We must not think about only worldly riches and thereby miss out on all that is true, honorable, right, pure, beautiful and respected.  Do not be poor.  There is richness everywhere, pray that you have eyes to see it and begin thinking on it!

With hope and joy,

Garrett