The Motive (Psalm 95:10)

From the beginning, man has always looked outside of himself when it comes to blame for his actions.  It started in the garden and continues to this present day.  People have blamed ethnic heritage, financial status, lack of education, social oppression, situational circumstances and even the sins of others as an excuse or cause for their sinful actions.  However, God sees the matter differently.

Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: (Psalms 95:10)

God reveals that the origin of sin is in our hearts.  It is a heart of lust and covetousness that steals items from those who worked for them.  It is a prideful and angry heart that lashes out at those who hinder them from gaining what they desire.  It is a proud selfish heart that believes people are just objects to satisfy its sexual pleasures.  It is an envious and jealous heart that gossips about others in an attempt to make themselves look better.  It is not the Italian, Irish, German or any other ethnic culture that causes a person to have angry or wrathfully outbursts.  It is the heart of a person that determines their actions.  Circumstances do not determine actions or else everybody would respond the same way to those circumstances.  However this is not the case. 

Consider for example people who work with a complaining coworker.  Some may respond with anger while others may respond with compassion.  While some may react by complaining about the complaining coworker, still others may put a lid on their emotions and just deal with it.  If situations cause people's reactions, then the situation must cause the same reaction in all people all of the time.  Since they don't, then the motive for reactions must come from within the individual.

How have you been acting lately?  Your outward actions reveal to yourself the condition of your heart.  Consider the following verses.

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. (Proverbs 4:23)

A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil:for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. (Luke 6:45)