A Pure Heart

Purity. If you have been a member of a church youth group for any amount of time, you've probably had a Bible study on this topic. This word seems to geared primarily toward teen girls. Remain pure until marriage, wear modest attire, realize your inner beauty, ect. This blog isn't a rehash on all the purity talk you've heard growing up. This is about what God has been teaching me about being and pure and godly lady.

First, purity. There's more than one way for purity to be defiled. For me, I struggle with watching TV that clouds my vision. I mean, let's face it, there's almost nothing to watch anymore. It's all geared toward relationships: breakups and makeups, backstabbing. The drama is endless. Yet, America is captivated. Maybe it's not the junky drama we seek, but a good plot and the rest gets thrown in. That's usually my excuse. I enjoy the characters, the humor, the suspense. And then the producers have to go and ruin it. Oh well, hopefully the drama will speed by so I can get back to the main event. I watch episode after episode and season after season. And the junk that comes with it? It seeps into my head and poisons my heart. The things that appall me aren't as appalling anymore. The things that made me sick to my stomach? The feeling is rarer.

This defiles my purity. The TV, books, and music that the world listens to play with sin. And when we go along with it, trying to overlook the lies and sin, the stench of sin becomes less powerful. We get used to the horror of it all. 

This is a dangerous place.

"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." Psalm 51:10

This is my cry. The need for purity reaches far beyond teen girls. It's for everyone. It's a daily battle. The lines less black and white and more grey when we drift from God. When our time with Him becomes less frequent, the area between right and wrong is blurred. 

Next, being a lady. There are many different ideas of what makes a woman a lady. When I think of a lady, I think of someone who is patient, graceful (in word and in deed), pure, and faithful. That's just to name a few. I'm surrounded by many examples of godly ladies. None of them are perfect by any means, but they all seek the Lord with all of their hearts. Those who are married support their husbands through prayer and encouragement. Unlike many marriages over the past centuries, they are not silent partners, yet they are willing to follow their spouse through thick and thin. My mom used to be that kind of lady. But now, it's obviously a bit different. She is an independent lady. She makes the tough decisions and the final calls. 

What ties together all of these examples and all of these woman is obviously that they are all ladies.

So what makes a lady a lady?

Her dependance on God and her devotion to His Word. Being a lady and remaining pure go hand in hand. I wrote in my journal a while back that being a lady "isn't an image to be upheld, but a purity to be pursued..." It's not about how you look or what your life looks like on the outside. It's about who you serve and how you serve Him.