blessings

Is it really true that doing the right thing for wrong motives is as bad as doing a wrong thing? I don’t know, but the question comes up after reading the story of the time the Philistines captured the ark of the covenant. David and his men recaptured it, and then this happened, in 2 Samuel 6:6-11:

“When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God.   Then David was angry because the Lord’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.   David was afraid of the Lord that day and said, ‘How can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?’ He was not willing to take the ark of the Lord to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the Lord blessed him and his entire household.”

Uzzah, well-intentioned it seems, tried to steady the ark and thereby violated God’s order not to touch it. His thoughtlessness killed him, and it doesn’t seem fair. But Uzziah committed the arrogance of thinking God needed his help, thinking God’s commands were situational, thinking he knew better.

Obed-Edom had no choice. He wasn’t even an Israelite, and David just dumped the ark in his lap. But Obed-Edom faithfully cared for the ark and was blessed.

It seems that, more than our pedigree or intentions, God pays attention to our obedience. It’s worth remembering that he values listening and doing that highly.