PURITY REMINDS me of a crystal clear stream of water, falling from its source, having passed through layers of rock which filter and clean it, enriching it with minerals on the way.

A pure spirit laughs at the values of the world and wants no part in them - maybe even carries a holy disdain for them. There is something about being freshly washed by the blood of Jesus; freshly humbled before His cross and feeling the tenderness He brings, as I ask for forgiveness and cleanness. Purity is not boring - it is infectious! When I meet someone who carries the sort of pure spirit I've described, it is magnetic. You feel impure next to them and it can make you thirsty to drink of that pure water, too.

In the Bible it says "blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God." Imagine that! - do you think seeing God is boring? To be filled with the Spirit of the living God, with the life of God and all His humour, carrying His passion, His love for people, His love of life and His creativity. It sounds good to me!

I want to be pure enough to be free to love others without an agenda of my own, with no competitiveness, no jealousy, no insecurity and to be able to love the unlovely and cover the weaknesses of the obnoxious and difficult. What liberty!

In the world at large, people are so contaminated and wounded, they don't want to give love away, they don't flow like that pure water.

A pure spirit is totally rested and at the feet of Jesus. It's yielded to the will of Jesus, totally poised to go where the Spirit takes it. Self-motivation and self-drive is taken away.

What I've found is that the people who are free and pure are also accurate in their summing up of situations and how best to help others.

Purity is both an emotional thing and a physical thing.

Purity in body - our bodies are an offering to the Lord and a temple of the Spirit and we hold them as a vessel before Him. We hold the reins of our souls in our hand - we steer what it feeds on and guide it through the obstacles of this life.

Purity in affections - it's important not to get wrong connections with other people. It's right to have affections and relationships - but you know the gaze of Jesus is upon them. This is one of the areas I find most difficult. I try to allow God to "burn" my affections. I always want to be honest with my own heart and about any jealousies, to be open and honest with my friends, not allowing wrong affections and worldly thinking to creep in.

Purity of mind - I don't want my mind and my heart to be a "junk yard". We are bombarded by the values and ways of the ungodly and impure world - a place where sex is seen as really important, what we have and what we look like as imperative. But how does Jesus see these things?"

See also: Purity in marriage Purity Forgotten? Living in Purity