Week 38 Day 5

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Actions Are Based on Motives

As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.

John 1:12

Let others boast their ancient line,

In long succession great;

In the proud list, let heroes shine

And monarchs swell their state:

Descended from the King of kings,

Each saint a nobler title sings.

When he was confronted with tough questions, Lincoln would sometimes respond with another question. “Why build a cage if you expect to catch no birds?” he once asked when confronted with the suspicious actions of an enemy. Lincoln’s point was that if someone is up to “no good,” look at the person’s motives. Lincoln often tried to look at people at a deep level. He tried to look at their hearts and intentions before making judgments, because he believed actions were based on motives. If you’re skeptical about another person, or if you’re trying to decide if someone near you may have bad intentions, try looking at their motives. Are they building a cage? If so, why?