Good Intentions

He was still speaking to the crowds when suddenly His mother and brothers were standing outside wanting to speak to Him. And someone told Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to You." But He replied to the one who told Him, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?" And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, "Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven, that person is My brother and sister and mother." – Matthew 12:46-50 HCSB

“I intended to go to church but I stayed up late the night before and accidentally slept in.”

“I intended to do the right thing but I drank a little too much, she made me mad and I just couldn’t help it.”

“I meant to spend time with my kids, but you know how life is – you have to make hay while the sun shines.”

Peter claimed that he would follow Jesus all the way. He publicly professed that he would die for the Master.[1] In the end, however, he denied the Christ on three occasions.[2]

King Saul claimed to have realized his error about David and that he would no longer pursue David.[3] In the end, however, he not only continued his pursuit but he ended up threatening the life of his own son who was simply trying to protect Saul from himself.

Yeshua understood the hidden twisted heart of mankind. He knew that the short delay between intention and action could be our undoing. He understood that only those who actually obeyed Him truly loved Him and He applied this principle to his own biological family. They claimed to love Him and yet they denied who He was. They claimed that as His family they were seeking His good, and yet they considered Him to be crazy and were trying to get Him to quit doing God’s will. So He turned to those who were listening with willing hearts, open minds and obedient souls and said, “You are my true family.”

Good intention unaccompanied by action is just wishful thinking. We need to get moving. We need to start acting on all the things we know to be true and good. Deeds are what count – not good intentions, half-baked theories, memorized dogma, or ecstatic experiences – but deeds.

Proclamation is not actuality. Profession is not conversion. We must not just trust Jesus one time at conversion to get us to heaven. We must trust him every moment of every day to live the life of a disciple. Conversion is not a one time event. That initial act is merely the beginning. From that point on, we must convert each thought, emotion and deed into a sacrifice that is appropriate for Yahweh Ha Tzaddik.

[1] John 13:31-38; Mark 14:27-31; Matthew 26:31-35; Luke 22:31-38
[2] John 18:15-18, 25-27; Matthew 26:69-75; Mark 14:66-72; Luke 22:55-62
[3] 1 Samuel 26:21-25