“All of you listen and try to understand. It is not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart.”

Rick Weyandt

 This passage is one of what appears to be three themes taken from Mark 7:1-23, that upon first glance don’t really seem to be overtly tied to one another. The first theme deals with the Pharisees and teachers observing that some of the disciples were not following the Jewish ceremonial ritual of hand washing before eating; the next addresses honoring your Mother and Father and how you can end their allowance if you are donating to another worthy cause; thirdly it is stated that there is no food you can eat that will defile you,  figuratively speaking.

In trying to settle on a plausible idea, I always felt that I was taking an exam where you know the teacher has masterfully disguised information needed to solve the problem at hand, if only to emphasize how little you truly understand. So, after spending too much time agonizing over my lack of insight, and dreading even more the looming attempt at writing a devotional, I did what came so naturally – walked away from it. There, done. I washed my hands of it. No pun intend, at least not initially. Then, as is often the case, the rather brilliant, but often forgotten notion occurred, KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID. Much like the Grinch realized one Christmas Eve, the thrust of these themes is maybe something just a little more. We all live in a world full of sin and much of what we see and experience daily can at times be daunting, and even overwhelming. Employing the point I believe is being conveyed in this teaching, these outside influences cannot in and of themselves defile us; it is only in how we choose to “digest this food” that can cause us to be defiled. If we begin to acquiesce to world views and drift from Biblical teaching, we continue the practice, as identified by Jesus, of interjecting man-made ideas into our lives as commands from God. Yet, I still feel the hope       promised. The grace given us so freely by Jesus’ willing  sacrifice for our sinful nature has made it all so simple. We just need to remember.

We pray:

Lord, help me to remember that all Your teachings and ultimate sacrifice were done to make it simple for me to be saved from my heart, the source of my sin, and I pray You will provide me the wisdom to remember this. Amen