Imagine the beautiful fruits on a tree that everyone admires. Some people may even lust after these fruits as they hang on the tree. Is it not interesting that no one sees the roots in the soil that firmly hold in place this tree on which these fruits hang? Is it not an irony that no one even remembers the seed in the soil from which the fruits germinate?
Though the seed may be hidden, its product is what everyone admires on the outside. As little as this seed may be, it has within it the potential to bring forth a mighty tree on which many fruits will hang. Little as that seed may be, its power must not be taken for granted.
The little seed in the soil is like an intention. It is the reason behind what we do. Our actions, like fruits, are products of these little seeds called intention. Every intention is hidden in the heart. It may not be seen. However, out of it emerges everything we see.
No one sees intentions, even though they power every action we see. Actions can be deceiving because no one knows the intention behind them. People can mold a saintly appearance to deceive others for a very long time until the day their true intentions are made known.
Some have fallen for the generosity of others until the day they realized those kind gestures were only a trap. Some have been deceived by titles and accolades, only to know later the true intention behind them. Actions matter, but intentions matter more. The fruits may look good, but the seeds from which they came will tell the taste.
Whenever I see people passionate about something, I curiously ask myself what their intentions are. When politicians are ready to do anything to serve us, I ponder, “What really is the intention of this service?” The ‘seed’ behind all the efforts we see will tell the fruits these people will bear.
Intentions vary. Some people do what they do for some weird reasons. Some are in haste to walk down the aisle just to spite their exes. Wrong intention. While some attend church so that they can be escorted when they lose a loved one, others are putting on a cassock so they can dupe anyone who comes their way. Wrong intentions. When the heart is wrong, everything will eventually go wrong.
Intentions drive everything around us. What is buried in the hearts of people is the driver of all the good and evil we see around us. Why do you do what you do? Do you have the well-being of people at heart when you are kind to them? Is your heart a reflection of what people perceive your intentions to be?
Some actions may look pure in the sight of men. Some people may appear as great philanthropists. Others may look like freedom fighters. It may look like they are the ordained ones to rescue us from poverty. However, a careful postmortem of their hearts may reveal something very different from what appears on the outside. Without a pure intention, every action reeks of hypocrisy.
Day by day, examine your heart. The heart behind the action is as important as the action. If there are selfish intentions behind our actions, we must judge and correct ourselves. Time will test our intentions. The reason behind our passion will soon be laid bare. Examine your intentions and repent of them if you need to, before time exposes them.
Do you love people because of the benefits you can derive from them? The day they are of no use to you is the day you will walk out of their lives. Mind you, a selfish heart has no place at the table of greatness.
Intentions are like a force. They push us around even when we do not see them. Bad intentions will push us into pits we may never get out of. We will pay dearly for our wrong intentions.
Do you keep showing up for others because you want them to show up for you, too? Well, you may soon be disappointed because not everybody may return your favor. Show up because you want to, and not because you have an expectation. Show up because you desire to, and not because you have an expectation at heart.
What is the heart behind what you do? Do you give because of what you expect to get in return? It is good to give, but expectation is the mother of all disappointments. On the day of your need, some may want to give but may not have, while others may have but will not give. That is just the way life is. We give because it is in our nature to, and not because someone may give back to us in the same measure.
Are you pursuing your passion because of profits? Do you want to pursue your talents because you desire to be a millionaire? When our lust for profits exceeds our love for transforming lives with what we have been endowed with, we crawl into the bosom of greed. Selfishness becomes the driving force. There is no more love for people when we are gradually blinded by money. When the heart is right, however, everything eventually falls in place.
If money is the only reason you will choose a partner, you will sacrifice anything for him or her ─ even the red flags. If you choose money above every other thing, you will be willing to choose the devil as a partner as long as they have a fat bank account. Your intention, even though no one sees it, will dig your grave.
Each day of our lives, we all need to sit and reflect on the purpose of our existence ─ the intention behind everything we do. Why do you wake up every morning and go to work? Why do you want to get married? Is it just to have children to please society, even when you have no time to take care of them? If the intention is wrong, every action that follows will soon end us in a ditch.
Get your heart right. No one sees the intention, but everyone will soon know the intention. The right heart makes the right choices.
The writer is a playwright and Chief Scribe of Scribe Communications (www.scribecommltd.com) and Scribe Productions (www.scribeproductions.com).
