TOPIC: CHECK THE MOTIVE OR PURPOSE
Memory verse:-"Now Dinah, the daughter Leah had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the women of the
land. When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, the ruler of that area, saw her, he took
her and violated her. His heart was drawn to Dinah daughter of Jacob, and he loved the
girl and spoke tenderly to her. And Shechem said to his father Hamor, "Get me this girl
as my wife.”
When Jacob heard that his daughter Dinah had been defiled, his sons were in the fields
with his livestock; so he kept quiet about it until they came home. Then Shechem’s
father Hamor went out to talk with Jacob. Now Jacob’s sons had come in from the
fields as soon as they heard what had happened. They were filled with grief and fury,
because Shechem had done a disgraceful thing in Israel
—a thing that should not be done.
But Hamor said to them, "My son Shechem has his heart set on your daughter. Please
give her to him as his wife. Intermarry with us; give us your daughters and take our
daughters for yourselves. You can settle among us; the land is open to you. Live in it,
trade in it, and acquire property in it.” Then Shechem said to Dinah’s father and
brothers, "Let me find favor in your eyes, and I will give you whatever you ask. Make
the price for the bride and the gift I am to bring as great as you like, and I’ll pay
whatever you ask me. Only give me the girl as my wife.”
Because their sister Dinah had been defiled, Jacob’s sons replied deceitfully as they
spoke to Shechem and his father Hamor. They said to them, "We can’t do such a
thing; we can’t give our sister to a man who is not circumcised. That would be a
disgrace to us. We will give our consent to you on one condition only: that you
become like us by circumcising all your males. Then we will give you our daughters
and take your daughters for ourselves. We’ll settle among you and become one
people with you. But if you will not agree to be circumcised, we’ll take our sister
and go.”
Their proposal seemed good to Hamor and his son Shechem. The young man, who
was the most honored of all his father’s household, lost no time in doing what they
said, because he was delighted with Jacob’s daughter. So Hamor and his son
Shechem went to the gate of their city to speak to their fellow townsmen. "These
men are friendly toward us,” they said. "Let them live in our land and trade in it; the
land has plenty of room for them. We can marry their daughters and they can marry
ours. But the men will consent to live with us as one people only on the condition
that our males be circumcised, as they themselves are. Won’t their livestock, their
property and all their other animals become ours? So let us give our consent to them,
and they will settle among us.” All the men who went out of the city gate agreed with
Hamor and his son Shechem, and every male in the city was circumcised.
There is always a purpose or motive behind human actions. It is rare to see people doing things for doing sake. As such we ought to check the motive behind people’s actions toward us as well as the consequences. The scripture above furnishes us a good example, Shechem did not delay the demand of Jacob and willingly circumcised with the motive of getting a woman (Dina) he loved. But to some of the men they accepted to do that with the motive of material gain-Jacob’s livestock and properties. Thus if they were not convinced with the Jacob’s wealth they wouldn’t have consented to Hamor’s and Shechem’s proposal (from Jacob).
Sometimes it is difficult to know someone’s motive behind his actions but careful observation and prayer can help a great deal. In relationship it is better to know the motive or purpose of it, if it is because of what the person will get from you then be careful. In the same don’t let your motive r purpose for serving God be prosperity only, no! Serve God on clear and righteous purpose and blessing will flow for you.
Prayer:-pray for good motive
pray against spirit of lust that is making men raping and violating women
What to meditate on:
Is circumcision still relevant for New Testament Christians?
