A question
If you do the right thing for the wrong reason, is it still a good thing? Let's say that right and wrong were black and white, just for fun.
If you put money in the plate in church, but you do it out of a feeling of obligation and without much joy in your heart, does God still smile? (Let's say there is a God who can smile).
Use whatever examples you like, but see what you think of this question.
posted by Eric @ 8:07 AM
1 comments
1 Comments:
OOOH, I love this question!! I think intentions do matter a great deal - but they don't override the outcome. It makes a big difference to me if someone hurts me intentionally or if it's an accident - but I'm still hurt! Thomas Merton once said something that was essentially "If we want to please God or do God's will, that desire pleases God. It does not mean we are actually doing God's will." This is the perspective I try to keep when dealing with people who believe that God's will is contrary to what I think it is. Regardless of what they do, I have to respect and admire their faithfulness and devotion. That being said, I think we should all question our own intentions quite frequently. It's far too easy to say that God's will just happens to be what I want. We need to let God be God and stop reducing "her" to anthropomorphic images and categories.
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