Divine Cultural Appropriation

Proverbs 16:2 (KJV) All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.

It might help you to see this expressed in a modern translation, excuse me, paraphrase, to get where I’m coming from.  I read this first today in the NET and the paraphrase got my attention.  When I compared it to the KJV, I could see the same potential but it wasn’t as clear.

Proverbs 16:2 (NET) All a person's ways seem right in his own opinion, but the LORD evaluates the motives.

I begin to wonder if I could also attempt to approach the perspective that God has on discussions I have with other people.  There are times when I get really frustrated trying to communicate with people.  I do my best.  I think I’m being very clear.  In spite of that, they just don’t seem to get what I’m saying.  And that’s where we get to motives.

My tendency is to believe that the other person has some deep hidden motive, an evil motive, a motive to dominate me.  Excuse the theatrics.  Basically, I think they’re deliberately refusing to hear.  While that may be the case that may not be their ulterior motive.  They may refuse to hear what I’m saying because they care so much about me and changing my thinking to their way of looking at things that they are willing to risk driving me away.

So?  Ultimately, their motive may be because they care about me.  The way that it is expressed may not be acceptable and the basic truths that they thought were there aren’t there, but their motive is good.  And of course I need to turn that around and aim the bow at my heart.  It always pays to try and take a God’s eye view of things.