My parents love TV shows about forensic science and solving cases. CSI: NY, CSI: Miami, Fringe, The Mentalist, NCIS - they watch a lot of them. I don't like them quite as much as they do, but I frequently sit and do homework in the same room.  Or if it's a good one, *cough* The Mentalist *cough*, I'll purposefully watch it with them. 

On these crime shows, every episode brings a different case that the group of main characters works on. The writers are really quite talented, and every episode has several twists and turns before the climax when the agents finally catch the culprit and put him behind bars. Usually one of the big things they look for when examining suspects is motive. WHY would so-and-so want to commit this crime? Have they had a problem with the person in the past? Is there history there? Was there a previous offense? It is very typical to hear them say something like, "He doesn't have an alibi, but he also has no motive." In other words, Sam has no alibi during Jacob's murder, but there is also no obvious reason Sam would want to kill Jacob, so why should we even check into that?

Motive is very important to the people solving cases on these shows. It got me thinking yesterday that in real life I hardly ever think about motive. But agents of the CIA and FBI have to constantly evaluate motive. Let's figure out the reason behind so-and-so's action.

Motive as defined by merriam-webster.com is "something (as a need or desire) that causes a person to act." In other words, why someone moves to do something. 

It seems that in my life most people are primarily concerned with actions. Does she obey her parents, does he read his Bible, do they get their homework done, does he talk to his mom a lot, is she nice to her friends... etc. Never do I think or hear why does she obey her parents? Or why does he read his Bible?

Why don't we think more about why people do things? Perhaps because we cannot easily tell. But God can. 

Yesterday I realized a lesson I had learned before in a new way. It's actually incorrect to say I learned this lesson from the crime shows - reminded is a better word. They actual idea originated in the Bible. 1 Samuel 16:7 says that "The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 

Proverbs 21:2 says "All a man's ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart." Matthew 6:1-18 talks about motive; how we shouldn't do good works in order to look good before people. 1 Corinthians 4:5 is a rather scary verse - "Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God." In other words, one day, the "purposes of the heart" (motives) will be revealed. THEN people will be commended by God.

Whoa nelly. I don't know about you, but that verse makes me want to say "eeks." Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 says "The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil."

God will bring every deed into judgment... and the purpose of the heart for that deed.

The tricky thing about this is that no one truly knows your motives for actions except God. It's a personal issue. I can guess about people's motives, and sometimes I'm right. But I have no way to really, really know why someone does something.

This is an issue I need to work on in my life. WHY are you doing what you're doing? Why are you reading your Bible? Because you have to, because you feel better about yourself if you do, or because you want to be fed with God's Word? This is one example of countless others in our everyday lives.

Two different people can be doing the same thing, one serving the Lord, and the other defaming His name through their prideful heart. Only God knows.

Sadly, I know that throughout the years I have done many things that to others looked like sincere service to God, but in actuality they were a pathetic prideful attempt to look good before other people. Or maybe even to "look good" before God. Ha. 

We not only have to choose what we do, but why we do it. Who knew that crime TV shows could have reminded me of this important lesson. Haha, oh wait - pretty sure it was God. 


Disclaimer: I am not necessarily recommending any of these shows. Thinking about them just reminded me of this lesson. Just throwing that out there. ;)

Last night at my church we had a "royal night with the King." It was a fun event where girls all the way from 13-99 dressed up (some in full length gowns and others in sun dresses) and came together for some fun fellowship (complete with tiaras and all!). The church was decked out really nicely, and the food was all quaint, dainty, and delicious. (The crab cake things were YUMMY.) Cello and harp music flowed through the dining hall as we ate, laughed, and talked together (courtesy of Marissa and Andi Chester).


Here are some pictures just to give you an idea.






All to say, it was a fun night.


But that is not the purpose of this post. The purpose is to share with you something that I realized last night after the culmination of this event (when an "ambassador of the King" - aka, our Pastor - came and talked to us about our identity in Christ). If we belong to Jesus Christ and are saved by His blood, we are royalty. We are actually princesses in God's Kingdom. We may laugh about it and think the tiaras are funny, but it is an actual reality if we belong to Jesus Christ.


Do you know who you are? (NOTE: I am not going to link all these verses. If you want to go to Bible Gateway you can type them in. These are courtesy of Brio magazine, which is sadly not being sent out anymore. Also, from here on out I will be talking directly to real believers in Jesus Christ.)


If you belong to Christ, you are...


-a personal witness of Christ's. (Acts 1:8)


-a branch of the true vine, a channel of His life. (John 15:1)


-seated with Christ in the heavenly realm. (Ephesians 2:6)


-able to approach God with freedom and confidence. (Ephesians 3:12)


-God's workmanship. (Ephesians 2:10)


-a minister of reconciliation for God. (2 Corinthians 5:18)


-God's co-worker. (1 Corinthians 3:9)


-a member of Christ's body. (1 Corinthians 12:27)


-Christ's friend. (John  15:15)


-justified. (Romans 5:1)


-adopted as God's child. (Ephesians 1:15)


-have direct access to God through the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 2:18)


-not your own. You have been bought with a price. You belong to God. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)


-redeemed and forgiven of all your sins. (Colossians 1:14)


-united with the Lord, and are one in spirit with Him. (1 Corinthians 6:17)


-cannot be separated from the love of God. (Romans 8:35)


-free forever from condemnation. (Romans 8:1-2) (See a post on this here)


-free from any condemning charges against me. (Romans 8:31)


-confident that the good work that God has begun in you will be perfected. (Philippians 1:6)


-have not been given a spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)


-born of God, and the evil one cannot harm you. (1 John 5:18)


-hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:3)


-can find grace and mercy in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)


-God's child. (John 1:12)


Do you know what these statements mean?


You have royal blood. Not just of some lineage in some faraway country (Princess Diaries, anyone?). No, you have royal blood from THE KING OF KINGS, THE LORD OF LORDS, THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE, THE ALMIGHTY GOD, OUR SOVEREIGN KING, I AM, THE ONE WHO WAS, IS, AND IS TO COME, YAHWEH. Because we are saved IN CHRIST, we now receive everything He is to receive. This is not of us! Oh, no! It's ALL from Him. We get ALL of these privileges through Christ.


We are joint heirs with Christ.


Romans 8:17 says "Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory."


We are to share in Christ's glory and inheritance because we belong to Him. We are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. 


Now, I don't know about you, but that makes me want to fall down to my face. 


I am a princess of the King of Kings. Not because I deserve it. Not because I have some good attributes or have done some good things for God. Because I believe, and I belong to Christ.