Dallas Willard: The Formand the Heart

The hunger for titles and public awards in human life—indeed, in religious life—is quite astonishing. The bragging and exhibitionism that goes on around the rear end of automobiles, the almost routine puffing of credentials and résumés, and much that passes for normal as part of our “self-esteem” culture, are part of a life with no sense of our standing in the presence of God…

The children of the kingdom, by contrast, are to have none of all this… Of course by now we surely know that we are not to be in bondage to external forms, or to their absence. The form could be wrong and the heart be right, or the form right and the heart wrong…

Two things should be noted immediately. First, the teaching is not that we should hide our good deeds. That might be appropriate in some cases, but it is not Jesus’ point. There is nothing inherently wrong with their being known…

Second, our intent is determined by what we want and expect from our action. When we do good deeds to be seen by human beings, that is because what we are looking for is something that comes from human beings. God responds to our expectations accordingly.”

Dallas Willard (1935-2013) in The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering our Hidden Life in God (San Francisco: HarperOne, 1998) 189-190.

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God wants us all to pursue a life of good deeds. That’s the ‘form’ in view. He wants our light to shine before people so they may see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven.

What form does God see when He looks at you? Are good deeds evident to all?

But He does not want us to do them with the motive of getting recognition. That’s the ‘heart’ He is looking for. And his response to our actions relates to what He sees in our hearts.

What does God see when He looks at your heart? Only you know the answer.

Notice Willard says, “God responds to our expectations accordingly.” Or in plain terms, He gives us what we seek. If it is worldly praise, He lets us get it.

And for those who seek no recognition but His glory, He sees that too and promises to reward it. He loves us so much He will not force us to keep impure motives out of our giving.

He gives you what you seek. How do you want God to respond to your giving?