Pure in Heart

Matthew 5:8 (NIV)

Blessed are the pure in heart,

for they will see God.

Pure is from the Greek word “katharos” which means “unmixed, unadulterated.” This verse could be translated to, “Blessed are those whose motives are unmixed.” This beatitude demands from us the most exacting self-examination. What is our motive for the things we do? Do we teach, for others to gain knowledge or do we instruct to show others what we know? Are our prayers asking for His will to be done or our own? Do we study the Bible because of our need for God in our hearts or do we study to lord over others.

There is a line easily crossed if we are not aware that it exists. The line that everything we do is for self-satisfaction. I feel a purpose and a lifting of my spirits every time I counsel. I pray that it will never become more about what I receive than what I am giving. To examine one’s motives is a daunting thing, for there are few things in this world that even the best of us do with completely unmixed motives. So in our hearts we keep striving for purity, with success and failure.

In the Revised Standard Version of 1 Kings 8:18, there were things that David wanted to accomplish, but he would fall short and God told David as He tells us, “you did well that it was in your heart.”