6月5日
标 题：神衡量你的动机
经 节：人一切所行的，在自己眼中看为清洁；惟有耶和华衡量人心。（箴言十六章2节）
我们很容易马上质疑别人的动机，却很迟钝地质疑自己的动机！当别人伤害我们，我们可能假设对方居心不良。当我们得罪人，通常会找借口，包括认为其他人太敏感了！不管我们如何监管自己的动机，神以祂公义的尺度来衡量。想以我们的敬虔自以为义来欺瞒神，是徒劳无益的，因为祂看到我们的内心深处。
人可不可能做好事，却怀有不正确的动机呢？当然可能！你可能参加敬拜的仪式，你的心却远离神（以赛亚书一：10～17）。你是否可能看起来关心穷人，心却悖逆神？犹大就是如此（约翰福音十二：4～8）。你是否可能豪放地表达自己对基督的爱，事实上是在帮撒但的忙？彼得曾经如此（马太福音十六：21～23）。你是否可能向神献祭，却完全不顺服神？扫罗王曾经如此行（撒母耳记上十三：8～9）。你可不可能为错误的动机祈求？雅各说，你可能会如此（雅各书四：3）。
我们身旁许多事会影响我们的行为。我们可能被一些好事所推动，像：对神的爱、热情、慷慨与信心。我们的行动也可能由不健康的动机所激发，如：骄傲、没有安全感、野心、情欲、贪婪、愤怒、恐惧与伤害。我们甚至可能怀有最糟糕的动机，却做出一件最美好的事。当主衡量我们的动机时，祂看一样东西：爱。我们的所作所为应该是为了爱神与爱人（哥林多前书十三章）。花时间检验自己行为背后的动机，求神让你看到祂是如何检验你的动机。
God Weighs Your
Motives
All the ways of
a man are pure in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the spirits. (Proverbs
16:2)
How quick we are to question the motives of others, yet we are so slow
to question our own! When others harm us, we may assume the worst of
intentions. When we are guilty, we often excuse our offenses, concluding that
others are far too sensitive! Regardless of how we monitor our motives, God
weighs them in His scales of righteousness. It is futile to try to deceive God
with our pious justifications, for He sees our hearts.
Is it possible to do the right thing for the wrong reason? Of course!
You can attend worship services with a heart that is far from worshipful (Isa.
1:10–17). Could you show concern for the poor and yet have a heart that is
opposed to God? Judas did (John 12:4–8). Could you make bold statements of love
for Christ and actually be aiding the work of Satan? Peter did (Matt.
16:21–23). Could you offer sacrifices to God and be in total disobedience to
Him? King Saul did (1 Sam. 13:8–9). Could you pray with the wrong motives? James
said you can (James 4:3).
Many things cause us to do what we do. We can be motivated by good
things, such as love for God, compassion, generosity, and faith. Or our actions
can come from unhealthy motives such as pride, insecurity, ambition, lust,
greed, guilt, anger, fear, and hurt. It is even possible to do the best things
based on the worst motives. When the Lord measures our motives He looks for one
thing: love. All that we do should proceed from our love for God and for others
(1 Cor. 13). Take time to look past your actions to what lies behind them. Ask
God to show you what He sees when He examines your motives.
