"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." (Mathew 5:8)
I have a very good friend whose mother always saw the best in people. If someone would steal from her, or jip her or talk badly about her, she would automatically give them the benefit of the doubt and assume the best intentions by their actions or words rather than the worst intentions. In fact, "the worst intentions" never even took up space in her mind or heart.
There were folks in this mother's family who were at odds with other present or previous family members (divorce and such), yet, even if someone's malicious words would berate her, this mother would continue to invite those cut-off-from-the-family individuals to her home get togethers.
This lady saw the goodness of God in others. She chose to see it in everything and in everyone. She never harbored bitterness or responded with malice. She was patient and kind, not boastful or envious or proud. She just desired to see God's goodness all around her and within the intentions of everyone.
She wasn't blind. She just desired to see God's goodness instead of seeing Satan's evil. This is what it takes to be pure in heart.
Notice the Beatitudes that "pure in heart" follow after:
poor in spirit (realizing one's bankrupt condition before a holy God)
mournful (and sober minded) over one's own depravity
meek, willing to give up one's rights and expectations to the Lord
hungering and thirsting after the "rightwiseness" of God
having an attitude of mercy and forgiveness.
These previous attitudes are all necessary to have a pure heart, to be able to "see God" within a "crooked and perverse generation" (Philippians 2:15).
The pure in heart will spontaneously see the beauty of nature, the inward light, the moral order of the world, the awesome and living and eternal truths of God's Word.
They will exonerate others as they behold the life and teaching of Christ's hope and love for people, which includes everyone because Christ died for all.
I mean - like - WOW!
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." (Mathew 5:8)
What are we going to see today?
