Behold, you desire truth in the inward parts. Create in me a clean heart, o God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Psalm 51:6 & 10.
Formerly, in times when coins were truly made of silver, there was a simple means to verify whether a coin was genuine or a forgery. One merely had to let it fall and listen for the sound it made on making contact with the ground. If it were a forgery made from cheaper metal that had been silver-plated, one heard a dull thud. On the other hand, an authentic coin gave a true ring, because it was made of silver throughout, not just superficially.
Let us take care! We can be silver-plated Christians. On the surface our lives show a tinge of reality, our words agree with what the Bible says. But what is at the bottom of our hearts? Our true state is revealed when we fall. What happens when we are dejected, that is, when we are suddenly catapulted into an unforeseen situation, like adversity or temptation? How do we react when we haven’t the time or the strength to think out a suitable religious attitude? Does our life ring true? Does it always ring with the same tone whether we are at home, at work, or alone where no-one can see or hear us? What are our secret thoughts when we simply allow them to roam?
Answering the question, “Who are you?” Jesus Christ, our example, replied, “Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning” (John 8:25). “I have purposed. my mouth shall not transgress” (Psalm 17:3 W.K.).