Tuesday, February 17, 2009

True Motives

Are my motives true? Who do I want to please most?

Early each morning I wake to prove it to myself;
In practice I tire but continue for the team.
I shovel the driveway next-door to make the neighbor smile.

The sandwich I make for my husband with love,
Calling my Grandma I hope to lift her spirits,
The humorous email I send is to make a friend laugh.

Reworking an essay to please my professor,
Sharing my notes to help a fellow-student.
I give a compliment to my Mother wanting her attention.

Those I seek to please will never be impressed
As I look for their approval with a motive amiss.
Pleasing the Father as He did so well, I must remember whose favor matters most.

Ezra Taft Benson (a latter-day prophet) asks "Are we striving to put the Lord first and to please Him?" in his article titled: The Great Commandment—Love the Lord. With so many voices clamoring for our attention in the world today, it is easy to want to please the voices that matter far less. His voice leads and guides us to what is best for our eternal welfare, yet we pause before following and ask "are you sure??" about this or that. Things we may be asked by the Lord to fulfill that are not popular among the eyes of the world teach us in the moment that "no man can serve two masters" just as the scriptures warn.

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