That which is a violation of the law, causing injury to the public ...not just as a whole, but to any single individual, is defined as a crime.

So, it could be said that each of us commit crimes each day against each other ...if we are so fragile to say that our opinions could be damaging to another.  

It seems to be increasingly true that we offend someone at every juncture of our existence. 

But, none of us could then say we are exempt.

As the old saying goes, who can point a finger at someone else, without also admitting that three fingers are at the same time pointing back at us.

And we even extend the definition beyond that of causing injury to the public ...stating that there are those who commit crimes against nature.

In U.S. Criminal law, there is a popular cultural summation of the three aspects of a crime.

These three aspects are means, motive, and opportunity ---and together, they are investigated prior to establishing and determining guilt.

Respectively, they refer to: the ability of the defendant to commit the crime (means), the reason the defendant felt the need to commit the crime (motive), and whether or not the defendant had the chance to commit the crime (opportunity). 

Opportunity is most often disproved by use of an alibi, which can prove the accused was not able to commit the crime as he or she did not have the correct set of circumstances to commit the crime as it occurred. 

Motive is not an element of many crimes, but proving motive can often make it easier to convince a jury of the elements that must be proved for a conviction.

So, the motive behind the actions is very important ...though it is often difficult to prove.  It is nonetheless important ...and if the action can be proven, the burden of proof should often be placed upon the one who had acted, or not acted, to explain their own motives for action or inaction. 

Yet, motive can be thrown around without merit to any ounce of truth ...with the sole purpose of injuring any reason that may sincerely exist. While, at the same time, this can be the reverse claim to attempt to gain support through a victim mentality of being falsely accused.

That is why it is important to first present the facts ...and let them present their feeble attempt to explain their own motives, while waiting to see if absurdity will quickly reveal itself through efforts to somehow hide the real motivation while continuing to dodge the truth.
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Dad's dad was raising a family ...supporting his wife and 6 children through the Great Depression, and its lasting effects. His occupation was farming.  

Anyone who worked could usually get something out of the land, granted that no catastrophe happened ...and that they worked as hard as a person could work.

So, they struggle through.  

Later, Dad was drafted into World War II.

As the horrific war ended, everyone seemed to celebrate ...but though the economy was in ruins throughout the world, their were jobs in the United States.

I was one of six kids ...and though their were jobs, many people were in need of them.  Dad got work, but still it was not easy for him to provide.

Dad had a ready beef cow that graduated from the pasture to the freezer late every summer. The people at work teased him because he ate steak sandwiches for lunch.  He said he couldn't afford bologna.

And I recall that he never failed to bring home venison every November.

When I was young, we helped tend to the cows. And when we picked the corn stalk of all its ears, we'd feed the remains to the cows, including the shucks from the corn we ate.

I remember teasing the cows.  We'd feed them rotten tomatoes, throwing the tomatoes at the cows. We'd laugh as they'd lick the tomatoes splattered all over them.

I'd also get several lengths of twine, and tied them together.  I tied a cornstalk on the end, and as one of the cows was about to take a bite, I'd pull it away.

Each time I did this, the cow would pursue the cornstalk even more.  And soon I was in full sprint.

With the cow gaining on me, I let go of the twine ...but, the cow no longer seemed interested in the cornstalk, and I barely was able to slip under the fence.  As I rolled to safety ...the cow thankfully paid heed to the fence.

I guess even an Angus doesn't like to be strung along. I guess my motive was to have fun at the cow's expense.

The motive matters ...and not just for the purpose of justifying our anger at times. Motivation also allows us to understand why something was done ...and gives us an indication of what to further expect.  

Establishing motive does not mean the act was necessarily a crime ...but, the actions may not be preferred ones.  And the motives should be considered in deciding upon further actions ...whether we need to take another look or not, whether we should hold onto the stalk or let it go. Or whether to consider perhaps not getting the twine ...or becoming intertwined, becoming closely involved.

If this sounds a bit like politics ...it is.  

Politics is a word that many say they do not like to be associated with.  Yet, it is merely the activities that relate to influencing the actions of government ...which is elected to govern, or lead with competence, efficiency, and wisdom in the direction that is best for us.

Considering that wisdom is from God, it would not be good to be led away from His ways.  

So, when we look at how we are governed, prayerful concern and following the principles in God's Word should be the foremost consideration.