Philippians 4

First, I want to say sorry for getting this up SOOOO late! I thought that I had put it up awhile ago, and just now realized that I didn't! 

"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things." 

The world is not filled with these things. It is harder to find something true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous and praiseworthy in this world than you probably realize. I have heard this verse SO MANY times... it is one of those verses I memorized  and knew the words, but never really focused on what those words were saying. 

This verse is something that, just this past year, has really come alive to me. It is something that has helped me make the hard decisions about what I am watching, reading, listening to, and taking part of. We can take this verse and apply it to every aspect of our lives. Do the things we watch line up with this verse? How about the music we listen to? The books we read? The words we say? The things we do? The relationships that we have? The conversations we have with our friends? 

This verse is something we MUST be living out. If we live with these things as standards we will stand out. We will be a light...because the world does not think this way. The world doesn't care about truth, or justice, purity, or things that are lovely. It doesn't care about things of good report or of virtue or if it is praiseworthy. The world is willing to sacrifice all of these things in its search for fulfillment. 

Each and every aspect of this verse is extremely important. The one thing I want to touch on is the "Whatever things are pure." 

Purity is something our society and culture lacks. When you look at the world, it is almost impossible to find purity. When the world looks at something pure, they almost look at it in disgust. Purity is not prized by the world. But, it is something we should value greatly. 

So, what exactly is purity? For the longest time, I always only thought of it as remaining pure in relationships. But, in the last year or two, the concept of purity has changed for me. 

Purity is much bigger than just a physical thing. Purity has to do with your mind and your heart FIRST! 

Purity means guarding your heart and your mind against the things of the world. Jesus, of course, is the greatest example of purity that we can have. Jesus lived in the world. He walked where the worst of people walked. He talked and built relationships with the lowliest of people. He loved them in a powerful way. Yet, Jesus did not take part in the world's actions. 

Purity is something that I have seen the church beginning to take more and more lightly. 

It is not held in a high enough standard any more. Believers think that we have to be able to relate to the world to reach it. This simply isn't true. 

The picture that I always think of when I think of purity is a mud puddle. I know, its kinda strange, but just hang with me for a minute. You are walking down the sidewalk and there is a puddle in the road. You have the option of staying dry and clean on the sidewalk or jumping in the puddle and becoming wet and dirty. Well, just then a car drives by and splashes you with the mud. Although you were on the sidewalk, you still got wet and dirty. 

This puddle represents things that are not pure, things of the world. 

Think of it this way. There is a  movie playing that a bunch of people you know are going to go see. They ask if you want to watch it. You know it has a ton of foul language and graphic images. You then have a choice. Do you go see it or not? Say you choose to not go see it. You choose to avoid the puddle. Well, someone you are talking to happens to use a few cuss words. That is an example of the car driving by and splashing you. You didn't dive into what the world had to offer, but you got a little of the world on you. 

Even if you were to just stick one toe into the puddle, you still end up dirty. Compromising is dangerous. Sticking a toe in can lead to your whole foot. Once that foot is in it leads to two feet. Next thing you know and you are diving in. Of course, I know that this does not happen to everyone. And, I understand that different people have different convictions and standards. It doesn't mean that I won't talk to you just because I know that you watch movies that have a few cuss words in them. 

I get that. I am just saying that you have to be careful...in ALL aspects of life. You have to be serious and intentional about your relationship with God.

Remember that Jesus was in the world...not of it. He did not believe that He had to drink so that those who drank could relate to Him. 

 If you have a white glove and you stick it into a mud puddle, what does it do? It makes the glove dirty...it does not make the puddle glove-y. It doesn't work that way. 

We cannot and should not partake in sin so that we can reach the world. What kinda sense does that make? 

When you are trying to change something or someone, you don't become like them in order to change them. You stand out. You show them what being different is like. 

So, in a world that is filled with impurities and does not value purity, be the difference. Be the one who is pure, and show the world what purity looks like.