intention
the meaning intended by what is said or done may be different from the outward impression given. The stress on genuineness of purpose and intent, found generally in the Christian tradition, corresponds directly with one of the most striking features of Jesus as presented in the gospels: his strong dislike of self-righteous hypocrisy. Purity of heart matters, but not to the point of social consequences ceasing to matter. Loving intentions need to be matched with appropriate actions. Christian appreciation of the ambiguity associated with the relative importance of words or deeds is reflected in the rival adages: ‘it’s the thought that counts’, yet ‘actions speak louder than words'.
See also:
deontology