What and Why

And he did what was right in the eyes of Yahweh, yet not with a whole heart. - 2 Chronicles 25:2

Is it possible to do the "right" thing the "wrong" way?

I have often seen parents command children to say that they are sorry for offenses committed against another (typically, a sibling). While such a demand may produce outward obedience, most of us know that sorrowful regret is usually absent.

The king described in the verse above did what God wanted, but not with the heart God desired. Likewise, a church may demand outward obedience, but what about fostering and encouraging inward desire? God certainly wants more from us than rote obedience. An omniscient God knows the difference between the two and He is aware that our motives often trump our actions.

In the Lord's service, it is probably best to remember this, "Why" is always just as important as "What."

Honesty has a beautiful and refreshing simplicity about it. No ulterior motives. No hidden meanings. An absence of hypocrisy, duplicity, political games, and verbal superficiality. As honesty and real integrity characterize our lives, there will be no need to manipulate others. - Charles R. Swindoll