Purity or naivete?

     Jesus said, "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God." Today a young couple came into the Nauvoo temple to be married- sealed for time and all eternity, not just "til death do you part". As I looked at their sweet faces, the words "pure" and "clean" popped into my head. Free from the worldly trappings of an expensive, lavish wedding gown (today's styles are usually backless, strapless and tight-fitting) or some other attention-getting fashion statement, their beauty shone from within. Their eyes shone clear and bright and their appearance was simply pure. In the scriptures, the temple of God is often referred to as a mountain. In Psalms 24 we read, "Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully." Their goal was to make a sacred covenant to God and to each other, not just have a big party.
     Russ and I were having a conversation related to a recent lesson in church about seeking the lost lamb. My observation was that the "lamb" lost to the "Good Shepherd" does not always recognize that he/she is lost to Him and the fold, or doesn't care. They are interested in their own individual world and have what they want. In the words of the Lord, "They seek not the Lord to establish his righteousness, but every man walketh in his own way, and after the image of his own god, whose image is in the likeness of the world, and whose substance is that of an idol." Those who strive to be pure in heart are often considered naive or lacking in "street smarts" which is a deprived state in the eyes of the world.  To those who might feel critical or pitiful to those who strive to be pure in heart, I would offer the perspective Paul wrote to Titus, "Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled." If the lenses you look through are dirty, everything will look polluted to you. Does it matter if you have a desire to have a pure heart and clean hands? I guess it's up to each person to answer that. If you are completely satisfied with the way the world is, if you have whatever you could hope for, maybe there is no reason right now for you to look beyond your individual world. You can continue to be nice to your neighbors, hold down a job and pay your bills, take care of your responsibilities, and live according to the standards you set for yourself. However, if you deplore the world's anger, prejudice, lack of honesty, lack of moral purity or even desire for it, if you would prefer peace, unity, and purity, you might want to consider trying to contact God and asking Him about His Son and what they can do for you if you are willing to simply choose- choose to accept the atonement, choose to be obedient to all the rules which will provide a peaceful society in which to live pleasantly, choose to throw away pride and be humble, choose to serve, love, and be all He wants you to be.