A pet peeve of my mother’s was when I would do what she asked, but not with a heart for it. She chose me often to clean the bathroom because “You do it best.” I liked hearing those words, although now I doubt she really meant them. She had figured out that I liked having my effort noticed. That’s when I became the designated bathroom cleaner. If it was done half-heartedly, mom would notice. She’d ask why I hadn’t cleaned it right as usual? My heart wasn’t into it sometimes and it showed.
Looking back on my mother’s methods, I understand her better. My own children have grown (save one who is 16) and I have now connected all the dots. I have used many of her tactics and kept using the ones that worked best. I knew which of the kids were best to take with me grocery shopping (hello Steve). Which one would chat with me when I was folding laundry (hello Mandy). And which one would watch over the others if I wasn’t around (hello Tom). The youngest, Andreya, is the one who keeps me from becoming an absolute hermit. They all have had my mother’s touch on their lives without knowing it. Even so, there were times when parenting wasn’t easy and my heart wasn’t into it.
Easy to see when my heart wasn’t into it
When I cleaned the bathroom when told, it was easy to see when my heart wasn’t into it. I’d neglect to take out the trash or clean the mirror. The telltale signs of my lack of enthusiasm for the task were apparent. Mom noticed and would let me know it wasn’t done well. When I felt this way, I didn’t care much for her observations. It was only when she would go and redo my work that I felt ashamed and would take the cleaning rag from her hand to finish what I had started.
2 Chronicles 25:2 ESV “And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, yet not with a whole heart.”
The verse above is talking about King Amaziah, the king of Judah. He did things right, but his heart wasn’t into it. He ended up worshipping idols. His reign ended badly (see 2 Chr. 25:14-28). After his victory and turn to idol worship, he was defeated by Joash, king of Israel. He started well, but ended badly because his heart wasn’t into it.
Guard what goes into your heart
Proverbs 4:23 NLT 23 “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”
The motives of our heart will either make us or break us. It is possible to hide what’s in our hearts for a while, but eventually, what’s in our hearts will come out. For our own benefit, we need to keep watch over what we allow in and out of our hearts. This is why our relationship with the Lord is so important. Like my first example of cleaning the bathroom, when I realized my mother was unhappy and I took the cleaning rag from her hand, we need to hear God’s musings and look to please Him.
Pleasing God from our hearts is easy when we have a relationship with Him. This holds true with anyone we are in relationship with: spouse, parents, children, and friends. If we are close to someone, we will look to please them with a whole heart. When we serve with our whole heart, we’ll be grateful for who and what we have. And gratitude is a gift we give to ourselves as it is the antidote to contempt.
Today, take the cleaning rag back from God’s hands and finish what you have started.
