"HOW PURE ARE YOUR MOTIVES?" & Challenge Answers

Good Evening to All!

The answers to last night's Bible Challenge "Parents and Children" are as follows:

1. b) Lamech (Genesis 5:28-29)
2. c) Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:15-18)
3. d) the Bible does not specify
4. d) Hiel (1 Kings 16:34)
5. c) killed them for food (2 Kings 6:24-30)
6. d) 10 (Job 1)
7. c) Jephtha's (Judges 11:29-40)
8. c) Uri (Exodus 31:2)
9. a) Loruhama (Hosea 1:6)
10. b) Eunice (2 Timothy 1:5)

I hope you did well on the challenge and maybe even learned something new.

I am taking tonight's post idea from my little book of "Blessings".

Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. (3) But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, (4) that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.
(Matthew 6:2-4 NKJV)

Several examples come to mind. While I truly believe they may have good intentions, I also believe they want to capitalize on those good intentions as well, which in turn counteracts their "good deeds" at least the motive, which is what God is concerned with.

I am constantly seeing celebrities on television going overseas "to do charity work", to "adopt to give underprivileged children a better life, and that is excellent I must give them "kudos" for that. My problem with that is how they feel they must use these deeds as "photo ops" , or making a television show out of it.

If their motives were pure, there would be no shows, no press times about these deeds. I understand that sometimes it can't be helped because of the paparazzi trying to do their jobs, but there are also times when the celebrities themselves want to "get recognition for these acts of kindness.

This being said it isn't just celebrities that want to "cash in" on the notoriety of good deeds. Even normal everyday people like you and me, do the same only at a less dramatic level. When I use to work for a living, I remember sometimes I would get upset if someone got credit for something good that I did. I may not say anything at the time, but I would make it a point to bring conversation around to my boss about whatever the deed was and make a reference letting them know that I was the one who accomplished the task and not so and so. Yes, I was petty back then. I wasn't nasty or arrogant about it, I was just hurt because someone else was given credit for my hard work and the person didn't speak up and say it wasn't me it was PJ. I have since gotten a lot better about that attitude, but I still catch myself
starting to fall back in that state of mind every once in a while and have to give myself a wake-up call.

I will admit, doing this blog has helped me a lot. Being in God's Word as much as I am doing the research, and looking up scriptures. really keeps me on my toes and keeps me on the straight and narrow.

I would be lying if I didn't like to hear someone compliment me for something I had done, whether it was a good deed for someone, a good post, or a good job at doing something else. Everyone likes to be appreciated. I don't think there is anything wrong with appreciation.

What is wrong is doing something purely for the reason of gaining notoriety, public praise, or making a spectacle out of doing something that God wants us to be doing anyway.

The next time you do something good for someone ask yourself why you are doing it.
Colossians 3:17 says "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him". I know this has helped me to remember for whom I am doing this act of kindness. I will receive a higher reward in heaven than I could ever dream of receiving on this earth for anything I do as long as I keep my mind on the prize and remember my main goal, which is to get to heaven.

Good Night to All and May God Bless!