Out of the Heart

Mt. 15:18-20

But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.  For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.

How very like man to make a human tradition of more importance than a heart condition! (So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God.) Man often looks at the outward and is satisfied with himself if he appears to be conforming to a certain standard. In this case, the Pharisees had set the standard themselves, and as long as they washed their hands or performed the myriad of other small rules, they thought that they were righteous. But Jesus was taking aim directly at these practices. Earlier in chapter 5 He made that statement that if your righteousness did not exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  Harsh words! And now here is another example of this faulty thinking. Whatever we eat whether washed or unwashed, is expelled. It is of no consequence,  but what is truly vile is what comes out of the heart. The evil thoughts (arguments and lofty opinions against the knowledge of God), murder (including hatred of a brother, verbal and physical abuse), adultery (including lusting or looking), sexual immorality (of any kind), theft (of goods, and even a reputation), false witness (lies, gossip), and slander (repeating information for the purpose of taking another down). These activities are truly defiling and are deeply revealing about what is in a person's heart. Jesus has repeatedly stressed in Matthew the importance of the heart. What is in my heart should be my chief concern not how I appear to other people. Am I living my life for God or for the eyes of other people? If I am living for God, then I need to concentrate on my heart and examine its true motives.

This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.

Father,
Teach me Your way that I may walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name. Create in me this clean and pure heart, one that will not defile Your temple in my body, one that makes my worship true.
In Jesus name,
Amen