Wednesday

Squeaky Clean


Growing up, this was always the rule for hands before eating and faces and ears before school. My room was given up as a lost cause!

But cleanliness is also a religious question – the question really!

How can we who are unclean come near to God?

Not hand-washing for sure! Here Jesus trivializes it along with the religious leaders who promoted it. Called them – Blind Guides!

Their hands were squeaky clean, but their hearts remained untouched.

The Teacher says our journey to God starts from the inside!

He begins with a brilliant diagnosis of the root cause of our problems –

For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.

Today, much of what passes for religion is still just hand-washing. Ritual, religious ceremony, it's all about how things look on the outside! Almost by habit we go to church, but our hearts remain the same.

The Teacher always focuses attention inward – to our hearts. It’s there He wants to begin His work of cleansing and life transformation.

1 comment:

  1. As I posted yesterday, Jesus continues with issues of the heart -

    Yet, I wonder how many times he looks at me and thinks:

    "Are you still so dull?"

    How many times do I not get it.

    How many times would I be "offended" if our traditions were questioned.

    What do I do that is "hand washing" that doesn't effect, change, or cleanse the heart.

    Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    And restore a steadfast spirit within me.
    Open my eyes and my ears to see and hear
    what you need me to,
    to become who you want me to be.
    Change my heart, O Lord, like rivers of water!

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