Keep Yourself Pure

Bible Reading: 1 Timothy 5:10-22

Keep yourself pure. - 1 Timothy 5:22

"Pure Chewing Satisfaction"
"99 and 44/lOOths percent pure"
"100% pure mountain spring water"
"Pure cane sugar"
"100% pure Michigan honey"

Whether you're talking about chewing gum, soap, sugar, or honey, people value purity. They want pure air, pure water, pure enjoyment, pure excitement! They won't settle for anything less than pure spring water, pure Colombian coffee, pure cotton briefs, pure everything.

We're all that way. We love purity. We admire it. We desire it.

The word pure means "clean," "spotless," "free from contamination," "unmixed with any foreign substance." To say that water is pure means it has no dirt or chemicals in it. To say that cotton is pure means it has no wool or synthetic materials mixed in. To say that the air is pure means that it's free of
pollution.

As you can see, purity's a good thing. But purity isn't just good for water or food or fabric. It's good for people, too. You see, it's like this: When God made water, he didn't put detergents and dyes and chemicals and crud in it-he put water in it! That's why 100 percent pure mountain spring water is so good; it's the way God wanted water to look, feel, and taste. Similarly, when he created humans and planted them on this planet, he made it clear to us what our life should contain-not only to please him but to make our life better, too.

Living a pure life means keeping out of your life all the things God didn't intend to go in there, like foul language, filthy thoughts, and sinful acts. A pure life is pleasing to God. And, like pure sugar or pure water, it's a lot healthier for you and more impressive to others as well.

REFLECT: Nearly everyone agrees that purity in water or air is a good thing; many of us have trouble admitting that purity in life is even more valuable.What do you find valuable in life? Have you allowed any impurity to enter your life? If not, how have you kept yourself pure?

ACT: See how many products (sugar, bottled water, soap, and so on) you can find in your house that claim to be "pure." You might even want to have a competitive scavenger hunt with a brother, sister, or friend to see who can assemble the most "pure" items.

PRAYER: Our Loving Heavenly Father, Thank God for being there to help you keep yourself pure. If you've allowed any impurity to enter your life, take a few moments to ask God's forgiveness and seek his cleansing. Reading Psalm 51 might help you put your feelings into words. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, In Jesus Loving Name I Pray, Amen."