Motive is something that causes me to act in a certain way, do a certain thing.
Attitude is manner, disposition, feeling, position, with regard to a person or thing; tendency or orientation, especially of the mind: a negative attitude.
We might hear a child say, "It was an accident, I didn't mean to do it." Sometimes when speaking to God we say the same thing. Our conscience may be convicting us of a wrong doing, and a prompting to make amends pushes us to act with a contrite heart. When my heart is in the right place and my motives pure, but my actions didn't live up to my intentions.
There was a time when my attitude was not the best, I would allow some one else's actions affect my attitude for the day. For example, if I were cut off in traffic and experienced a close call, that action could make me crabby the rest of the day. Getting off on the wrong foot would make look at the day as a lost cause and it had barely begun.
Paul is teaching us to be on our guard, to stay close to Jesus. My motives and my attitude change when I stand firm each day. Sensing a closeness to Jesus give me a new and fresh faith every day, it gives me courage and strength I didn't know was possible. I not only can do everything in love - I want to. This sounds awfully simple, and it is.
"Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love."
(1 Corinthians 16:13-14)
(1 Corinthians 16:13-14)
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