“‘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.’ You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” Mark 7:6-8 (ESV)
I’m a rule-follower. I like doing things well and getting recognized for it. Sort of like the adult version of gold stars. Being a student was great! Everything I worked on got graded – immediate positive feedback. A+ and a sticker – yes, please!
In Mark 7, we see the rule-followers of Jesus’ day (the Pharisees) upset and tattling on the disciples for not following all the rules of cleanliness and purification.
From verse 1 through 13, the whole point is them whining about how the disciples are not doing what they should.
Then Jesus addresses the issue at the heart of the matter.
And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. And he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” Mark 7:14-23 (ESV)
How can food defile someone if it just passes through? Answer: it can’t. But in the heart of a person can fester all kinds of things that will defile them.
Will what comes out of you defile you or define you?
After this section, Jesus shows us the opposite of being defiled by what comes from your heart and out of your mouth.
In verses 24-30, a woman with a demon-possessed daughter comes to Jesus. Jesus merely speaks and though the girl is far away, she is freed from her affliction immediately,
What came out of Jesus’ mouth defined Him as Savior and Deliverer.
In verses 31-37, a deaf man with a speech impediment is brought to Jesus. Jesus speaks, “Be opened” and the man’s ears are opened. He’s healed.
What came out of Jesus’ mouth defines Him as Healer, full of power and authority.
In the church world, there are many who give lip service to God but are far from God in their hearts. That double standard will reveal itself at some point, with the defiling words coming out of their mouths.
“‘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.’ You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” Mark 7:6-8 (ESV)
We have a choice this week. Will we be defiled or defined by what comes out of our mouths?
In the last verse of the chapter, people spoke about Jesus that “He has done all things well.” Major gold stars! Wouldn’t it be cool for God to say that about us?
Action Step: First, I need to examine my heart and check for areas that are potentially defiling. Am I harboring unforgiveness, entertaining impure thoughts, giving in to pride, comparing myself to others or desiring what they have, etc.? Second, I need to fill my mind with the words and life of Jesus so that my heart and words will line up and I will be defined by the word “Christlike.”
God, I want to be defined rather than defiled by what is in my heart and comes out of my mouth. Help me to recognize possible problems in my heart and weed them out. Help me to guard my lips and speak words that please you. I want to be more like Your Son everyday. In Jesus’ name, amen.