The Member's Motive

Solomon says, 'All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight,..' (Proverbs 16:2a). One way that proud, self partial man can spin a justification for almost anything is to assess only his actions without regard for the motives which drove them. Solomon continues, 'but the Lord weighs the motives.' The Lord assesses the nature of the motives of a man's heart for they greatly determine the moral quality of a word or action. The church member's motive, in the exercise of his gifts of service, is love. A sincere love of the brethren, a fervent love from the heart is the proper motive for the employment of one's gifts in serving one another. Without love moving the Christian to act there is no edification. Love edifies. It is the still more excellent way of applying one's gifts in humble service to the another in the church.