I recently listened to a verse being read. It was from Matthew 5, and I confess that I cannot find what translation it’s from… certainly not any that I’m familiar with, if a well-known translation at all.

It went like this…

“Happy are the clear in heart, for they shall see God.”

For some reason, the word “clear” set off a whole series of new thoughts.

What would a clear heart be like? Like crystal. Not clouded or cluttered. Some sense of transparency would be there. An old book by Kierkegaard is titled “Purity of Heart is to Will One Thing”, and that came to mind too. A clear heart wouldn’t be fragmented or divided in its affections. Its focus would be… well… clear.

I used to take this verse as a promise of heaven in “the after” sense of life. But I’m not sure that’s the point.

A clear heart, a pure heart, a heart that wills one thing…

Someone possessing such a heart WOULD see God. He would be felt and sensed and known in ways that others wouldn’t and couldn’t experience. I used to think these words were a promise; I now wonder if they’re not simply a statement of fact.

If so, then indeed the clear of heart ARE happy.

And I’m feeling a stronger desire than usual to get in on some of that happiness.

So lead us there, Lord…