From the Heart
“If God isn’t the source of your strength, then the heart of the problem is a problem with your heart.”
Matthew 15:10-20 (NIV)
Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”
Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?”
He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”
Peter said, “Explain the parable to us.”
“Are you still so dull?” Jesus asked them. “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 a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”
Reflection
As Jesus points out in today’s reading, what comes out of our mouths reveals what’s already in our hearts. And if you’re anything like me, there’s a war going on in there! Our words carry such tremendous weight and value. When we say things we would never say to Jesus, we reveal our damaged state. Anger, selfishness, gossip, greed, lust – these things aren’t our problems in and of themselves. It’s when we allow these things to come in and take root in our hearts that they become our problems. As today’s reading points out, they “defile” (verse 18) us! This is why keeping a close eye on the condition of our hearts is of utmost importance.
One way we can examine our hearts is by recognizing where our strength comes from. If God isn’t the source of your strength, then the heart of the problem is a problem with your heart. Psalm 28:7a says, “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.” Does your heart trust in anything other than God? Is your heart seeking satisfaction in anything besides Him?
Another way we can keep a close eye on our hearts is by staying close to Him. We do this by reading the Bible, learning in His house, serving others, and regularly asking Him to reveal areas of our hearts that need attention. And sometimes there are parts of our hearts that need attention! We live in a fallen world, and hearts get hurt. And it’s not unusual for hurting hearts to envelop themselves in destructive things like bitterness, pride, or fear. If we’re not careful, however, hurting hearts can turn into hardened hearts. Even hearts that once loved worshipping and evangelizing can become hardened and covered with spiritual disease. Not only is this no way to live, but it’s not what God calls us to. Over and over, the scriptures tell us what we need: righteousness.
“If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him” (1 John 2:29).
“I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness” (Isaiah 42:6-7).
When we are right with God, we can be right with others. When we truly have a heart for God, our perspective changes. Old ways and desires just don’t hold the same attraction anymore. And when our hearts do become tempted, we can lean into His teachings and remember we serve and love because God first loved us. The incomparable joy we feel when our hearts become softened to His leading is powerful enough to move mountains. Immerse yourself in this truth, and love God with all your heart.
Action Step
God is the vine and source of our strength. God took daily walks with Adam, and He wants to walk with you, too! There is no playing hide-and-seek with God; He knows our hearts. Contemplate Hebrews 4:12 and journal how it relates to today’s scripture:
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12 NIV).
Prayer
Heavenly Father, examine my heart continually and fill it with the fruit of Your Holy Spirit. Help me speak life into my brothers and sisters. I invite You to transform any parts of my heart that don’t glorify You. Thank You for all the blessings in my life and the inexplicable sense of peace You bring me when I lean into You. I love You! In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”
Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?”
He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”
Peter said, “Explain the parable to us.”
“Are you still so dull?” Jesus asked them. “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 a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”
Reflection
As Jesus points out in today’s reading, what comes out of our mouths reveals what’s already in our hearts. And if you’re anything like me, there’s a war going on in there! Our words carry such tremendous weight and value. When we say things we would never say to Jesus, we reveal our damaged state. Anger, selfishness, gossip, greed, lust – these things aren’t our problems in and of themselves. It’s when we allow these things to come in and take root in our hearts that they become our problems. As today’s reading points out, they “defile” (verse 18) us! This is why keeping a close eye on the condition of our hearts is of utmost importance.
One way we can examine our hearts is by recognizing where our strength comes from. If God isn’t the source of your strength, then the heart of the problem is a problem with your heart. Psalm 28:7a says, “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.” Does your heart trust in anything other than God? Is your heart seeking satisfaction in anything besides Him?
Another way we can keep a close eye on our hearts is by staying close to Him. We do this by reading the Bible, learning in His house, serving others, and regularly asking Him to reveal areas of our hearts that need attention. And sometimes there are parts of our hearts that need attention! We live in a fallen world, and hearts get hurt. And it’s not unusual for hurting hearts to envelop themselves in destructive things like bitterness, pride, or fear. If we’re not careful, however, hurting hearts can turn into hardened hearts. Even hearts that once loved worshipping and evangelizing can become hardened and covered with spiritual disease. Not only is this no way to live, but it’s not what God calls us to. Over and over, the scriptures tell us what we need: righteousness.
“If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him” (1 John 2:29).
“I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness” (Isaiah 42:6-7).
When we are right with God, we can be right with others. When we truly have a heart for God, our perspective changes. Old ways and desires just don’t hold the same attraction anymore. And when our hearts do become tempted, we can lean into His teachings and remember we serve and love because God first loved us. The incomparable joy we feel when our hearts become softened to His leading is powerful enough to move mountains. Immerse yourself in this truth, and love God with all your heart.
Action Step
God is the vine and source of our strength. God took daily walks with Adam, and He wants to walk with you, too! There is no playing hide-and-seek with God; He knows our hearts. Contemplate Hebrews 4:12 and journal how it relates to today’s scripture:
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12 NIV).
Prayer
Heavenly Father, examine my heart continually and fill it with the fruit of Your Holy Spirit. Help me speak life into my brothers and sisters. I invite You to transform any parts of my heart that don’t glorify You. Thank You for all the blessings in my life and the inexplicable sense of peace You bring me when I lean into You. I love You! In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
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