Peril of Good Intentions

Hannah Arendt, a US (German-born) historian & social philosopher wrote:

As witnesses not of our intentions but of our conduct, we can be true or false, and the hypocrite's crime is that he bears false witness against himself. What makes it so plausible to assume that hypocrisy is the vice of vices is that integrity can indeed exist under the cover of all other vices except this one.

Our character is determined more by what we do than by what we say. One of the most judgmental monikers placed on Christians is "hypocrite." Unfortunately, it is often an appropriate description of who we are.

In Matthew (21:28-31a), Jesus tells a story which speaks of the perils of good intentions:

But what do you think about this?

A man with two sons told the older boy, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ The son answered, ‘No, I won’t go,’ but later he changed his mind and went anyway. Then the father told the other son, ‘You go,’ and he said, ‘Yes, sir, I will.’ But he didn’t go. “Which of the two obeyed his father?”

They replied, “The first."

Jesus isn't surprised when we struggle with following him. He knows that we have to fight our natural tendencies in life. He knows that we can only live and follow him when we do so through his power. Yet, in an effort to appear good in front of others, we often say one thing, but because of the struggles, we do another. And worse, we judge others when we see them fail. Note Jesus' response to this story:

Then Jesus explained his meaning:

I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do. For John the Baptist came and showed you the right way to live, but you didn’t believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this happening, you refused to believe him and repent of your sins.

Perhaps, the issue is one of the heart. We become so accustom to "intentions" that we no longer place value on the integrity of our life which is "intended" to carry them out. The Bible says that we deceive ourselves when we hear the word but don't act on it. We begin to believe our own lies where our intentions do not meet with action.

I'm not describing legalism. This isn't about living according to rules. This is about knowing and understanding the heart of God and through his power living out the love that he has given us through lives committed to him. John in 1 John 2:4-6 (NLT):

If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. But those who obey God’s word
truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.

Don't kid yourself. Be real before God and others. His power is manifested in our weakness. Admit your struggles and call for his help in living your life beyond just "good intentions."