When I was going to bring home my
new born son from the hospital, after signing and clearing the administration, I
went near his bed and looked at him. He was sleeping soundly. I softly said, “Mengyu, let us go home”. Interestingly (beyond my expectation), he responded, “Mmmmmm, mmmm” (probably his way of
saying yes) while moving his head a little bit. My mom and sis who were
standing beside me were amazed. I carried him and brought him home. It was my very
first time carrying a new born baby. Amazingly, I was just naturally knew how
to carry him. I love to look at little children aged below one year old. I find
them so pure. They do not have any ill-intention and are not driven by any bad
motive. They smile and laugh when we talk to them. The purity of their hearts is
very comforting. Quoting Jesus’ words, “whoever,
humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven”.
(Matthew 18.4). Jesus is teaching us to learn from little children for they are
the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
C. S. Lewis in his Narnia
portrays children as the inheritors of the Kingdom. They are depicted as
princes and princesses in the Kingdom of Heaven. Knowing (a science fiction film) also portrays children who can hear the soft
voice (whisper) of the Lord via the
angels who are protecting and going to fetch them to the Eternal Kingdom. “Knowing” (2009) may be classified as a
science fiction movie but it has strong message regarding the “Afterlife”.
A pure heart does not keep “rubbish”
that will eventually rot and turn into bacteria and even viruses that will
consequently harm the “host”. Evil thoughts, hatreds, anger, envy are example
of the common rubbish that we tend to keep to pollute the pure heart. It is
paramount to keep our hearts pure because the LORD searches every heart (1
Chronicles 28.9), therefore, our hearts must be circumcised (Deut 10.16). Cut
off the part that will potentially corrupt the hearts.
C. S. Lewis in his book The Screwtape Letters which was
dedicated to his friend J. R. R. Tolkien, imaginatively and creatively describes
the uncle devil’s letter to his nephew, wormwood. I remember in one of the
letter, uncle devil advised his nephew to let his patient who was just
converted to Christianity be filled with judgmental mind. Judging the bad
attitude of other Christians, “how lousy and out of tune they sing, Christians
are hypocrites, they are just pretending to be spiritual” (my own words).
A pure heart does not boast, does
not despise, does not find fault. A pure heart does not search someone’s faults
using a magnifier nor does it telescope for gossip topics using binoculars. It does
not obtain great joy from someone’s mistakes and failures. King Solomon reminds
us, “Do not gloat when your enemy falls,
when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice, or the LORD will see and
disapprove and turns his wrath away from him” (Proverbs 24.17-18).
When David was on the run,
escaping from Saul’ life-threatening chase, he had plenty of chances and very
valid reasons to kill Saul. He knew that the LORD has rejected Saul. He knew
that he was chosen to be the next king. He could reason that he was in self-defense
against Saul “kill or be killed”. He
could have thought that the LORD has given Saul’s life to be taken by him and
end Saul’s reign. Then he could quickly rose to the throne and become the next
king. However, he held his principle that Saul was an anointed king. He
understood that he did not have the right to take Saul’s life. David’s action
explicitly describes he had a pure heart, hadn’t he?
A pure heart produces a pure
love. Our culture is very craving in nature - craving for possessive having as
well as for love. Our consumerist culture degrades love to something that we
can shop for. Love is reduced to a product, a commodity and a trade. “I love because I am loved. I love because
you can provide me with financial security. I love because you are pretty. I love
because I can gain something from you”. To love becomes to consume, to
have, to trade, to own. A pure love is totally different in essence. A pure
love says, “I love you because I choose
to love you”. A pure love finds joy, happiness and satisfaction in loving,
sharing and giving.
The Lord says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they
will see the God” (Matthew 5.8). We do not see God because our heart is
blinded by our own arrogance, pride, selfishness, bitterness, hatred and much more
corruptive viruses. A pure heart enables us to see God’s goodness, love, mercy
and beauty in and through His creation.
