the heart is what counts

So often we get caught up in doing outward acts in keeping with righteousness that we completely forget that the most important thing we are to do is to just be obedient from the heart. The pharisees set up so many rules to make sure they did not sin that they just became legalistic and focused solely on the outward actions. Big problem, for when Jesus started preaching he declared that "what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person." (Matt 15: 18) Also when Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was he said "to love the Lord your God," completely baffling what the Jews had thought, which was obedience to the law. Why do you do the things you do? Is it for your parents, your friends, family? What ultimately is important in obedience? Why do you follow the Law? Why do you follow God?