Ever wonder why it is that when good deeds are done, they are not seen as just that, good deeds? I know that I do and struggle with it on the regular. There seems to always this thought of other intent. Things are not just accepted as they are.
“1After this the king of the Ammonites died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place. 2And David said, ‘I will deal loyally with Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father dealt loyally with me.’ So David sent by his servants to console him concerning his father. And David’s servants came into the land of the Ammonites.” – 2 Samuel 10:1-2 (ESV)
Here we have an instance of the death of a king and David sent his servants to serve up his sympathy to the son. As we see things here, David was just being a good neighbor and showing support during a time of sorrow. We do not see any motives to the contrary, and isn’t that how things should be. Regardless of the dealings had with someone, in their time of sorrow, we should be gracious to them.
“3But the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, ‘Do you think, because David has sent comforters to you, that he is honoring your father? Has not David sent his servants to you to search the city and to spy it out and to overthrow it?’ 4So Hanun took David’s servants and shaved off half the beard of each and cut off their garments in the middle, at their hips, and sent them away” – 2 Samuel 10:3-4 (ESV)
And there it is. Even as David sent his servants in good faith, they were accused of ill intent and dealt with as if it were true.
The evil one is constantly looking to undermine the work of the LORD. Where we do know that the LORD will prevail, the individual battles daily are going to go the way of the evil one from time to time. We have to know and be ready for the undermining activity of the evil one and work with and for the LORD to overcome. Even when our motives are as they appear, there will be doubt sewn in by the evil one and we will be dealt with as though we are to the contrary.
It is not easy in this world and the LORD never promised or even said that it would be. I have to remember that as I work to do the will of Him. I have work to do and I should be doing that work according to the instructions that He provides for me. I have to remember that no matter the thoughts of others, it is the work in the name of the LORD and I have to just do the work and move on to the next that God has for me. I have to know and understand that the evil one will always be there to distort the truth, but as the LORD is truth, He will prevail.
What is your view of doing the right thing? Are you seeing that your motives are undermined? What if you approached things to do the will of the LORD and know that He will prevail regardless of the way others see them?
Trevor's Thoughts 