In The Bible Today; Matthew 15

The Bible is a timeless text of perennial wisdom. It tells us not only of God and mankind, it guides us on our path as spiritual beings in human bodies.

Though the Bible sometimes seems inapproachable and complex, these studies are designed to make the Bible accessible to everyone and applicable to everyday life.

Namaste Friends.

Scripture: Matthew 15:17-20; "Don't you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean'. for out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man 'unclean'; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him 'unclean'."

Observation: In these verses, Jesus clearly outlines what factors make a man unclean. What you eat, how you eat, what you wear; these things have no eternal value. The condition of your heart impacts who you are, and how you relate to the world.

The pharisees of Jesus' time, and religious leaders of today often get blinded by the perception of form. As they perceive the world, most are unclean, unrighteous, unwashed. They perceive unholiness externally, with no knowledge of the heart. So blinded, in fact, they make laws, rules and regulations to govern the outward appearance.

God is concerned with your heart. All the things of the world, of the body are outward. They do not matter. Your heart matters to God.

In the judgement of the ego, what matters is appearance. How you dress. How you pray. How you worship. We become so entangled in the appearance of things, we forget the important thing. Our heart.

What is more important than how you treat others? What matters more than sharing God's love, regardless of how someone appears on the outside?

Recently, working in the local coffee shop, I met a woman and her mother. The woman shared that her mother is a minister at a local church. These two women, over the course of the next few months, proved to be the rudest, most condescending people I have met so far. It doesn't matter that their hair is perfectly coiffed. Their make-up expertly applied. Clothing impeccable.

Their hearts were unkind. I would never go to any church she ministered. Her attitude spoke volumes about the condition of her heart. And it wasn't good. God doesn't care what we look like, He cares about who we are, and how we spread his message. Being unkind and cruel is no way to share God in your community.

Application: What is the condition of your heart? When you are clean, you express love, forgiveness, and the healing energy of God. How this outward expression manifests in your life is different for each person. If you work in an office, handle people with kindness and integrity. Staying at home with kids? Be gentle and loving. For every walk, there is a way to express love and forgiveness. Don't get weighed down by the external appearance of those around you. People are not unclean, unholy, unrighteous based on their form, and neither are you. It is a matter of the heart. And only God knows the true intentions of each man's heart.

The best thing we can do for ourselves, and those people God places around us is to share his love. Don't judge based on appearance, status, condition.

Prayer: Father, today help me to remember that I am one among your many children. You and you alone know the condition of my heart. Help me not judge based on appearances, but give me grace to be compassionate and kind to those around me today.

Namaste friends.