Imputed Motivations

How blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit!
—Psalm 32:2

As a society, we have left the rails when it comes to evaluating the things other people do.
We are all guilty of judging someone’s actions not by what was done, but by why we think it was done.

“Look! He took her seat because he thinks he’s more deserving than she is.”

The problem with this is that we can’t possibly know their actual motivation. The best we can do is guess. But our guess will inevitably be influenced my our own motivations.

But we stubbornly insist that we know why he took the seat, and judge him – not for what he did, but for why he did it.

The odds that our “why” is correct are staggeringly low.

So, we wind up condemning a man based on ideas we created out of thin air.

The truth is, I can see what you did. But I cannot see why you did it.

When it comes to our own actions, we generally give ourselves a pass based on our justification of our own motivations. We smooth the edges of our motivations in order to justify the action.

“Oh, I didn’t mean to take her seat. I didn’t think she would be coming back.”

We rarely extend the same grace toward others.

God, however, always knows our motivations. He knows the dark, selfish roots that persistently permeate our inner selves. He knows that our hearts have been corrupted by the sin that surrounds us.

But He chooses not to count it against me.

We don’t know motives—and assume the worst.
God knows motives—and shows mercy.

The One who sees the why… chooses not to count it against me.

Lord,
Forgive my judgmental attitude.
Thank you for the grace you show me.
Help me to afford the same grace to others.