We have all had one from time to time: you know what I speak of: that feeling of wanting something, and then finding a way to get it, even when that certain something, or someone, ought not to be had... the way around is sneaky, and the ill begotten gain is wrangled in suspicious and dubious ways. What is seen superficially, when scratched ever so lightly, can reveal obvious motives, ulterior to what is presented. In less subtle words, the system of deception hides a motive, that isn't always immediately evident, thus, an ulterior motive: I promise you, as with all self and other deceptions, motives eventually, are revealed.
We are liars
The challenge in each human being is to be honest, not with ourselves, but before God. I recall many a moment of resolve, when I knew I was going to do or say something He would never approve, and did it anyway. Perhaps you have done the same? I smirk as I type... you know you have. I don't need to know you to be confident that you aren't the most honest person. I can laugh at us both now, because shamefully, we are liars, manipulative, sneaky, deceptive, and we often believe that no one knows or can see it, but that's just plain old ridiculousness, isn't it?
Weaklings
The truth is a powerful force not to be reckoned with. Try as we might to shape it and form it to our own mental, emotional, psychological, and wickedly spiritual sculpting, we simply cannot. Truth is the untouchable, the holy grail, the once in a life time supreme being that cannot be challenged or manipulated. No ulterior motive has the capability, the capacity, to do damage to the truth, and weaklings like you and me make mockeries of ourselves when we believe that we can be tricky dicky about getting around truth.
We live amongst humans, and God help us, they are our downfall. The biggest barrier between us and God, is all the people in-between. We want to navigate, negotiate, barter, banter, and sometimes belabour a point to get our own way, believing that other humans have some kind of power that we need to tap into to get what we want and need. We politely, and sometimes rudely and with much misgiving, push, pull, shove, and tussle one another, because each of us has this ugly force inside, the ulterior motive, that begs satisfaction.
Entitled
We bite the hand that feeds us, dear reader. We cannot see the hand, and yet, it has sown and reaped, that we might eat and drink. It is the seed planted that dies so that it can bring life, and yet, we fuss and fight, jostling one another to get our serving, our just desserts... what we believe we are entitled to, even if it is not at all, what God wants for us.
The dark days, they are upon us. Seeing the times, feeling the heaviness of death as its stench fills the air we breath, is apropos. Denying Deity and His judgment is a game of hide and seek with the All Knowing, Almighty God. It is willfully silly and childish, and it displays our own not so hidden motive, of wanting to believe nothing has changed, we have some control, and we can go on as though the world is our oyster and what we want, is okay with Him.
❓Am I doom, and now your gloom?
❓Do I have an ulterior motive in this writing?
I think of Ecclesiastes, and the song that taught me this scripture when I knew not from whence it came:
To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; A time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embraced and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and at time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)
Here are the lyrics for the song Turn! Turn! Turn! by the Byrds
To everything turn, turn, turn
There is a season turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose under Heaven
A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep
To everything turn, turn, turn
There is a season turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose under Heaven
A time to buid up, a time to break down
A time to dance, a time to mourn
A time to cast away stones
A time to gather stones together
To everything turn, turn, turn
There is a season turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose under Heaven
A time of love, a time of hate
A time of war, a time of peace
A time you may embrace
A time to refrain from embracing
To everything turn, turn, turn
There is a season turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose under Heaven
A time to gain, a time to lose
A time to rain, a time of sow
A time for love, a time for hate
A time for peace, I swear it's not too late
Dear reader, I leave you to God. It is time to discern, by studying His Word, and seeing the signs of the times, the season in which we live. The song by The Byrds, suggests a turning... I will take the liberty of suggesting you turn, turn, turn, away from your own ulterior motives, and toward God and His will.
Do I have a motive in my writing? I do, indeed, but it is not hidden or ulterior in any way, dear reader, I am shamelessly obvious.
Turn! Turn! Turn!
Post Script:
Humbling ourselves before God helps rid us of our ulterior motives. The image I included of men and woman on their knees praying, led by Dr, Martin Luther King, Jr., ought to jar the soul and shake us free from our self-indulgent ways.
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