Pursuing Purity

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” -Matthew 5:8

Purity is one thing I desire ever so much because I want to see God. So often in my life I’ve tried to pursue purity. I’ve given the pursuit 110% of my effort, but each and every time I have failed. No matter how hard I try, I fall…and I tell you, it is a hard fall when purity is your goal.

But, over time, I’ve learned the purity I have been pursuing was bought for me, by the sovereign grace of God, through Christ Jesus. The purity then that God desires us to pursue is not innocence, but much more. I’ve come to understand that this purity God is referring to is that of a person who begins to reflect His son, Jesus Christ, in their life. It is when we begin to think in our hearts and minds like Jesus.

When the world saw an adulturer, Jesus saw a woman that could be perfected in Him (John 8:2-11). When the Jews saw a Samaritan (Jews thought lowely of them), Jesus saw a women who, through her testimony, could save many people (John 4:1-42). Time and time again, throughout Jesus’ life, He saw in others  what no one else saw. He saw people as what they could be through His love; PERFECT. I believe this is the type of purity of heart God is talking about in Matt. 5:8. When we see through the eyes of Jesus, we will see God.

A practical way to create a habit of seeing through the eyes of Jesus is to say to yourself — That man, or that woman, perfect in Christ Jesus!  That friend, or that relative, perfect in Christ Jesus!

Let us all begin to pursue purity; that is, through seeing others as Jesus does!