“One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace will have the king for a friend.”

Throughout life there are so many things that draw people into friendships and relationships. We learn that young children’s friends are primarily those they live with and go to school with. They also build friendships with those they play with in their neighborhood. To this day, the kids who grew up on our circle still have tender hearts for my kids, whom they spent every afternoon and weekend playing with. As we get older, more mobile, and move through high school and college, we are drawn to those with shared interests and activities. Later, it is those who are in similar work, church, or have kids in school and activities together. There are numerous things that draw us toward one another. In my 40s I started to recognize those who represent Solomon’s description in this passage. My wife was one of the beautiful souls who genuinely and very naturally had a pure heart and spoke with grace. I have worked to develop these qualities in my own life. With rare exception, I like just about everyone I know and most people I get to be around, but I choke up when I think about those in my journey who reflect this type of life. A person with a pure heart and gracious speech is perhaps the greatest gift—besides Jesus—to the planet and to our lives. It is impossible to be this person without the indwelling Holy Spirit. A person can be kind and even speak kindly for a season, but it takes the transformative work of God in the depth of our soul to make a lasting difference. Today, let the Spirit of Jesus rule in your heart and life. #BeTheEdge

“How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” Romans 10:15b NIV