Did you know that at the heart ofevery snowflake, there is a tiny speck of dust? Typically, they are known for their beauty and symbol of purity,
but in reality, they are dirty-hearted little snowflakes. When it comes to us, is it the same? What are we at our core when we look beneath the facade or the dressing?
The word, “pure,” carried the idea of “unmixed; it is a singleness of heart, as opposed to a divided heart.” In the Scriptures,
the heart is used in a variety of ways. Sometimes, it is a reference to the emotions (Neh. 2:2; John 14:1). Sometimes, it is a reference to the mind (Mark 2:8; Heb. 4:12). Sometimes, it is a reference to a person’s will (Dan. 1:8), but altogether, the biblical picture of the heart is the entirety of the inner man.
In Matthew 23:25-26, Jesus rebuked the Pharisees, because even though they maintained an outward appearance of purity, inwardly they were filthy. For this reason, God’s word teaches to “keep [our] heart with all diligence” (Pro. 4:23), because “from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man,” and we do not desire to be those who “draw near to [God] with [our] mouth, and honor [Him] with [our] lips, but [our] hearts is far from [Him]” (Matt. 15:8).
True Christianity is not simply a matter of reformed behavior. It is a matter of the state of our hearts. It is the heart that has already acknowledged its total dependance on God and admits its true condition, so there is no desire to take vengeance on the world (Matt. 5:3-5). It is the heart that yearns for God’s righteousness (Matt. 5:6) and is filled with pity and compassion for others (Matt. 5:7).
-John Garza