Always Check Your Motivations:

I was recently doing a Bible Devotional study over 1 and 2 Kings by Lysa Terkeurst.  I have already learned a lot, and I appreciate diving into two books of the Bible I often try to avoid.  I never had much interest hearing all about these kings and them fighting other countries and making mistakes.  However, Lysa gives us a great message that the kings of Israel and the first and second king books in the Bible serve as a reminder for us to be trustworthy of God.  

Recently, I was learning about Jeroboam.  Jeroboam was a man who did not start out as a king.  Actually, he was originally called to speak for the Israelites to Rehoboam because the Israelites had a huge amount of labor thrust upon them by Solomon, Rehoboam’s father and the king prior.  They were dealing with heavy burdens and they looked to Jeroboam for help.  Jeroboam did speak for the people well.  He had the will of the Lord on his shoulders. Rehoboam decided to do the exact opposite of what the people requested.  He decided to make their yoke and their burdens heavier.  He didn’t want to weaken their load, but rather he wanted to add to it.  Because of this, over half of the country, as in 10 out of the 12 tribes of Israel left his kingdom.  This is where the Kingdom of Israel and Judah were split.  After the split happened, the 10 tribes left Rehoboam and decided to make Jeroboam king.  

Jeroboam had great intentions of being a good king.  He wanted to be there for the people, just as he did when he spoke for them.   However, he then becomes influenced by the world like all the other kings.  Even though Jeroboam was king over 10 of the 12 tribes of Israel, in order for the people to worship in the temple of God, they would need to travel to Jerusalem in the tribe of Judah, underneath the rule of Rehoboam.  He was fearful that as his people started traveling, they would believe the other empire was better and Rehoboam was actually the better king.  He was fearful the people would leave him, and he would be taken off the throne.  In order to keep the people, close by and to appease them, he made two golden calves and the places of worship around them, so the people could choose to worship there instead.  He started to trust his own thoughts and his own plans more than God’s.  Because of this, he would also deviate the other people being ruled under him.  

Lysa’s chapter on Jeroboam did help us reflect on our intentions.  Sometimes we as people and Christ followers have great intentions or motives starting out good, but then they turn out to not be the best.  One quote from this study says, “Here’s the dangerous assumption: because our initial motivation is good, our motives will always stay pure.  Sadly, that’s just not the case.  It’s good to keep checking our motives and to be honest about our present intentions.”  (page 65).  We can go into something for the right reasons, but then get blinded by society and start to focus on the results more than the following well of the Lord.  

Sometimes I have had mixed intentions around my Dressember fundraiser.  I love doing my Dressember fundraiser.  I love getting the opportunity to raise funds and awareness to end Human Trafficking.  I love being creative in my outfits and in the dresses I wear every day for the month of December.  Yes, towards the end, I am tired of wearing dresses, but I also know it is for a good cause. My intention is to do this fundraiser to help people and to raise awareness to end Human Trafficking around the world.   However, sometimes I become way too concerned about my own pride and my personal fundraiser to make myself look good.  I want to meet my fundraising goals, so I can feel good about myself.  I need to be very aware of my attitude and intentions all throughout this fundraising event.  

My challenge for you this week is to remember this verse wherever you go into anything in your life.  Make sure to use this verse as a way to examine your intentions.  Proverbs 21:2 says, “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord ponders the hearts.”  People tend to look at the things people do, and maybe how successful they are.  People may look at the actions of others and how appreciated and admired they are by the people around.  However, God looks at the people’s hearts.  He looks at how well they are focused on the glory of God and how well they are depending on the Lord. My challenge for you this week is to focus on the glory of God with every single intention and motive you have.  This may take some double checking of your motives on a regular basis.