Matthew 5:27-28

"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart."
Matthew 5:27-28


This is a really interesting scripture about actions and desires.  I think that we worry a lot about the actions part... don't kill, don't steal, don't commit adultery... but we don't worry as much about the other side of it... the desires.  For instance, we can avoid stealing, and fulfil that action... but if we want something so much that we are tempted to steal it, then we are crossing over in covetousness anyway, right?  So, it isn't enough to just go to church... we have to want to. :)  We have to throw ourselves into being there.... we have to feel the spirit, or what is the point?  We can pay our tithing, but if we resent every minute of it, and complain about the loss of "our" money all the time... then we're giving gifts without full intent of heart.. which, it tells us in the scriptures, is the same as having retained the gift.  It seems that God places an awful lot of value on sincerity... on being who you appear to be, and on doing the things that you believe in doing.  Authenticity matters. :)  ... and incidentally, God knows that we can't be 100% there all the time.  Sometimes we have to start with either actions OR desires, and work our way to both... We just have to be sincerely trying to get there. :)  So, today... let's not just go through the motions... let's throw ourselves into what we care about, and serve God not just through our actions, but through our thoughts and desires as well. :)