Monday, May 4, 2009

corrupt heart = corrupt actions

Matthew 15:10-20

The key words in this passage are: mouth, defile, plant, blind. This section is the continuation of the dispute that started by the Pharisees asking Jesus why his disciples did not wash their hands before eating. This had nothing to do with hygiene and everything to do with religious ritual. In fact, the extremely pious would wash their hands after each course of the meal. Jesus' main point is that it is not eating with unclean hands that defiles a person but what comes out through words or actions is an indication of the corruption that is in a person's heart.
So lately I've noticed that I've been swearing a lot - mostly in private and mostly under my breath but it's been coming out. Now I know that I should do some behaviour modification in that I should stop swearing. Jesus would agree that I should stop swearing but I think he would point to something deeper than the words coming out of my mouth. This passage tells me that the words coming out of my mouth are an indication of the condition of my heart. So, I need to ask myself, what is going on inside of me that would cause the increase in swearing? In the meantime, I need to exercise some discipline and gain control of my tongue but I also need to realize that my tongue speaks from the overflow of my heart.
The point, I think, is that none of us can change our own hearts. Jesus is making it clear that observing religious ritual is not enough. It doesn't deal with the heart issue. Self-discipline is very good but it is not enough because it doesn't deal with the heart issue. The question that the disciples should be asking Jesus at this point is: if we can't change our heart by observing the religious rituals or by self-discipline, how can we change our hearts? Jesus' reply would probably be something like: "You can't. That's why I am here because only God (Father, Son and Spirit) can change your heart." Prone to wander, Lord I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love. Here's my heart, O, take and seal it...

1 comment:

Jeff Beer said...

Good points. I have been in the exact same place, and as I said in my blog some are better than others at hiding it, at least from other people, but sure enough God sees our hearts and we need to come to him and ask him to work in our hearts.