Every springtime, I struggle with allergies. I sneeze, cough, and rub my watery eyes. Maybe you can relate. All of these things I described are symptoms of a bigger problem. They are symptoms of an allergic reaction to the pollen in the air. If I really want to address the problem that I have during springtime, I have to address my allergies, not just the symptoms of my allergies. In the same way, yet on a much deeper scale, our words and actions are just a symptom of what is going on in our hearts and minds.
Jesus taught in Mark 7 that our words and actions are a reflection of what is going on inside of us. In this chapter, He said to a crowd listening to Him teach, “It’s not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart” (verse 16). His disciples asked Him to explain this further, so He said, “It is what comes from the inside that defiles you” (verse 20). In other words, our words and actions are not the thing that defiles us, but instead the heart and mindset that causes those evil words and actions. Our words and actions are symptoms of what is going on in our hearts and minds. For example, when we speak unkind words about someone, these words can be a result of allowing the gossip and negative words of others to fill our minds. Conversely, encouraging words can result from meditating on God and His word. What we allow into our minds has a profound impact.
If we want to change our words and actions that do not reflect Christ, we have to start with what is going on inside. We must address the root cause of our words and actions, not just the symptoms. Start today by taking a moment to evaluate what you say and do in order to understand the state of your mind and heart. What do the things you say and do reveal about the things consuming your heart and mind? If your words and actions reveal any unhealthy or ungodly mindsets, it is time to repent of them and start focusing on God and His kingdom. As you do, you will find that our words and actions reflect God and His kingdom.
As you go throughout your day, monitor your words and actions. Take note of how the words you say and the things you do reflect the state of your mind. Let the knowledge of how your mindset impacts what you say and do lead you to take your thoughts and mindset very seriously.
1One day some Pharisees and teachers of religious law arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus. 2 They noticed that some of his disciples failed to follow the Jewish ritual of hand washing before eating. 3 (The Jews, especially the Pharisees, do not eat until they have poured water over their cupped hands, as required by their ancient traditions. 4 Similarly, they don’t eat anything from the market until they immerse their hands in water. This is but one of many traditions they have clung to—such as their ceremonial washing of cups, pitchers, and kettles.)
5 So the Pharisees and teachers of religious law asked him, “Why don’t your disciples follow our age-old tradition? They eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony.”
6 Jesus replied, “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote,
‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
7 Their worship is a farce,
for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’
8 For you ignore God’s law and substitute your own tradition.”
9 Then he said, “You skillfully sidestep God’s law in order to hold on to your own tradition. 10 For instance, Moses gave you this law from God: ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’ 11 But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.’ 12 In this way, you let them disregard their needy parents. 13 And so you cancel the word of God in order to hand down your own tradition. And this is only one example among many others.”
14 Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “All of you listen,” he said, “and try to understand. 15 It’s not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart.”
17 Then Jesus went into a house to get away from the crowd, and his disciples asked him what he meant by the parable he had just used. 18 “Don’t you understand either?” he asked. “Can’t you see that the food you put into your body cannot defile you? 19 Food doesn’t go into your heart, but only passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer.” (By saying this, he declared that every kind of food is acceptable in God’s eyes.)
20 And then he added, “It is what comes from inside that defiles you. 21 For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. 23 All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.”
