Selfish motivation disguised as altruistic desires...

 What is a good Samaritan? Do we do charitable works to make us feel good, soothe our conscience or do we really care?
"Should we question ourselves and our motives in all things." Self-deception, the process of denying or rationalizing away the relevance, significance, or importance of opposing evidence and logical argument is so easy to do. Self-deception involves blindness to facts that reveal truth or believing lies that lack fact.  When we are fooled, we find ourselves in a position that does not reveal any self-knowledge of the deception. When we are deceived, there's a possibility that we could have known or should have known better. The story of Eve in the "Garden of Eden" is a prime example. When we are in denial, another type of spirit comes into play. How can we impartially determine the true motivation behind or actions in light of confirmation bias? At the core of most deeds there always seems to some selfish reason hidden behind what may be deemed as goodness, charity or sacrifice. We know that we don't see ourselves as we are seen. No one can see their own eyeball! So how can we truly know and see ourselves as we really are? Our history, the hidden part, reveals the shortcomings and the pretense previously portrayed in our lives. It's plainly visible. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"  Although we may strive to act real and be genuine the possibly always exists that somewhere deep inside, we're continuing to fake it. What's desired most is purity. Has anyone else ever regretted some word, deed or even a period of time in life as we have? And yet without those remorseful experiences would we have reached this position along the road of life? The heart and our gut feelings reach the head (brain-mind) and the head holds the ever-developing soul that works within the mind. How we live this life eternals our souls. Oh, how we hope not to corrupt our thinking and lose our soul in the process. We all can and should closely examine ourselves, specifically our motives. Regardless of how much determination and sagacity we possess, take time to pause and reflect. The journey can get us a mansion at roads end that's empty or heavenly. Remember the flesh goes back to dust and the spirit of life returns to God.  It's sad discovering that the worst lies we've ever told were the ones we told ourselves. Are we still lying?