He who loves purity of heart,
and whose speech is gracious, will have the king as his friend.
Proverbs 22:11
People with great and favorable relationships, people who have real influence, are people who are pure of heart. They aren't in relationships in order to manipulate people to their own ends or to deceive. They are just good hearted people whose wisdom and grace can influence other people for the better. And it starts with the heart.
This proverb is something of a contrast with Proverbs 22:10, where self-driven contentious people are driven away. It also serves as a positive reminder when viewed against Proverbs 22:12, which warns us that God sees all hearts and actions and overthrows deceptive people. Right in the righteous middle is where we should live our lives, with purity of heart and grace-filled language.
This is how I want to be known. I want to reject impurity in all its forms: sexual lust, pride, coveting, materialistic drive, egotistical motivation, deception self promotion, or manipulation to get what I want. Instead, I long to be known as the person who speaks grace and truth, and the only way that I know to do that is to saturate my life, thoughts, and words in the Bible and speak it back to people in an honest, caring way.
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