Today's Passage: Matthew 15
We begin with the Pharisees once again taking issue with Jesus and his reckless regard to the law. They have a fit over the fact that the disciples did not wash their hands before eating, which, hygiene aside, broke Jewish custom. Jesus' response to them not only quiets the Pharisees, but also captures the essence of our relationship with God: He knows our hearts.
Jesus teaches that what goes into a man's mouth is not what makes him unclean, but what comes out of his mouth because it's from the heart. Various places in Scripture challenge us to consider what comes out of our mouths. These passages always strike a nerve because of how careless we can be with our words. Growing up, I never really thought I had a problem with this...compared to other people anyway. I mean, I didn't cuss so I'm good, right? I came to learn, however, that Jesus meant everything that comes out of my mouth. Am I too sarcastic? Do I always have something to complain about? Do I treat everyone I come in contact with respectfully? Do I have a tendency to gossip (and disguise it as something else)? Do I take every opportunity to be encouraging or helpful? Once I realized what Jesus was talking about, I realized that He would probably have some things to say about what comes from my mouth and ultimately what is inside my heart. Join me in considering the things that we say, how what we say reflects the contents of our hearts, and what Jesus might say to us if he heard everything we say in a given day (because he does).
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