But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
~1 Samuel 16:7
Don't get so caught up in what you are called to do that you forget why you are called to do it. I made that statement as a Facebook post yesterday after a time of reflection with God. So many of us are focused on our gifts and callings, and how to develop them (and that is absolutely important), but I don't know that we focus as much on why we are called to exercise those gifts. Have we forgotten that as we love others, teach others, prophesy to and edify others that we are to point them to Christ -- that we are to ensure they know that it is His power at work in and through us?
As I reflect over the last few years, I have written quite a few posts about "what": what we should do, what we should try to achieve, what God asks of us. I have not written a lot about why, but I think we need to be reminded why we do what we do. So often we focus on doing that we forget what we are doing it for - who we are doing it for. We focus on being a "good Christian" or a "good wife". We want to check the right things off of our lists, but if our hearts are not right our actions really don't mean a whole lot. The world is full of people who look the part but don't measure up. The news is filled with people who looked successful but end up failing due to a lack of morality. This can not be the case with us.
We can't look one way and really be another. I think the difference is made when we really understand why we do what we do. That, my friends, is a matter of the heart. You have to take a moment of self-reflection to determine what is really in there. Do you love your spouse because of what he/she can do for you? Do you want a good marriage so other people will idolize it or so that you can be powerful and effective together? Do you love your spouse like God says because God said it or because you want to portray an image? Do you want a successful ministry so that people will "look at you" or so that people will look at Jesus? What is your why?
The gifts that He has given you are not just for public display. Your spouse and your home should be the recipient of those gifts as well. Actually, they should receive them first -- especially, if you are exercising them from a sincere heart. Remember, people look at the outside - appearance, image, what we portray -- God looks at the heart, and He sees very well.
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