March 9, 2024
Jesus Teaches About Purity, Part 2
Matthew 15: 10-20
10 Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. 11 What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”
12 Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?”
13 He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. 14 Leave them; they are blind guides.[d] If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”
15 Peter said, “Explain the parable to us.”
16 “Are you still so dull?” Jesus asked them. 17 “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? 18 But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 20 These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”
REFLECTION:
In this passage, Jesus continues to challenge the traditions of the church to help me understand that this is a heart matter, not a matter of rituals. Even if I do all the right things, without a pure heart it does not matter. But it’s so easy to be tainted by the trials of life, how can I practice these teachings? The only way is to surrender all to Jesus and pray about everything.
APPLICATION:
First, I will examine my motives. If my motives are wrong, I will commit to pray when I am challenged to practice or act with the wrong motives.
PRAYER:
Lord, help me to be honest with myself and you. Help me not to condemn myself or others. Help me to pray and trust you with my motives and lean and depend on you to make things right. Amen