Growing up, I quickly came under the impression that the central focus of purity as a virtue had to do with sexual chastity or keeping one’s body and thoughts clean and unblemished in that area of life. While that certainly is important to consider, especially in our evermore-desensitized culture, I now stand on the cusp of marriage in these last few weeks of singlehood and ponder what it will mean to approach my husband as a pure bride in each sense of my person: spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically.

In that light, four times over the course of this month, I want to share a piece of word art and a short poem to highlight the life of each of four different women from the Bible. In each case, focusing on one of those aspects, I hope to think differently about who they were, who I am, and who each of us (men and women alike) is meant to be.

So, this time, I begin with the mother of all mankind. Not the first woman who usually comes to mind when we think of spiritual purity, is she?

Perhaps she should be…

~ Purity 1: Eve ~

Initial fruit tasted strangely sweet

On my tongue

But felt bitter-heavy

When it sank into my bowels.

Slow burn of something foreign

Had begun with me,

In me.

Third stirring felt strangely bitter

In my heart

But tingled sweetly-light

When it washed over my womb.

Deep joy of something granted

Had begun with me,

In me.

Heaven saw my kiss of death

But kindly placed in me this Seth

And restored my purity,

Once more setting my spirit free.