Intention

Intention

Two lads had the task of sweeping the floor. The first lad set out to do so that it would glorify God. It was his intention that all that He did, in regard to sweeping the floor, was to God's glory. And so He swept.

The second lad had no intention of sweeping the floor to the glory of God and went about His business in a most excellent way. In fact it was near perfect, as one who is fallen in nature yet skilled at sweeping, can sweep. So in the end we have one very clean floor done in the human spirit of excellence and one no so clean floor done to the glory of God.

Now which one glorifies God?

Do not both floors glorify God. The second glory God in that God gave to man the gift or ability to do things well. So the one who, not seeking to glorify God, did glorify God by doing his task well. So God is glorified as the one who makes man able to do things well, even excellent (to a degree).

The second also glorified God because of the intent. For the one seeking to live and labor in such a way as to glorify God in all that they do, does glorify God. God smiles at the intent of the heart, not the cleanness of the floor, and is delighted and glorified.

And maybe you are such a person that the gift given to you, the thing you are called to do, you can do with great skill and excellence. So adding to this excellence you determine to intend to do all to the glory of God, and so you can do so, glorify God, on all levels.

So no beggar is denied glorifying God and no person of excellence allowed to do so without putting forth the natural effort required. Both can fail, by lacking intent or skill, and both can succeed.

And so two men went up to the temple to pray. One a rather great person of prayer and the others no quite so.....