By: Juliet Constantine

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." (Matthew 5:8)
 

The Scribes and Pharisees were upset at the Disciples’ actions. The crime: the Disciples ate with unwashed hands. This was in violation of their behavioral code of practice! How could Jesus have allowed it to happen? They chastised Jesus about his Disciples breaking the elders’ traditions - eating with unwashed hands would defile the body. But Jesus, in His reply, infuriated the Scribes and Pharisees even more. Instead of reprimanding the disciples, He totally disregarded the complaint, and accused the Scribes and Pharisees of disregarding and breaking God’s commandments. He told them that they placed more emphasis on traditions than on God’s commands.

What do you think? Does eating with unwashed hands defile a person?

Jesus went on to explain to the multitude that it’s not what goes into the mouth; but instead, what comes out of the mouth that defiles a person. In a synopsis He explained the process of ingestion and elimination. He was not agreeing to eating unclean foods. He only explained that it’s not what goes in the stomach that defiles, but what comes out from the heart through the mouth. “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witnesses, blasphemies.” (Matt. 15:19). Evil thoughts and company, as stated above, will defile our hearts.

Evil enters a man’s heart not through his stomach, but through avenues to the soul. In today’s technological age, it is easy for evil to first enter the heart through the eyes and ears. These members are like the advertisers or enticers to our soul. If not controlled by the mind, they will soon get other members on board. Our thoughts are so bombarded with evil actions that it takes all we got, and more, to keep our mind and hearts pure.

So, what are you looking at and listening to? It is easy to look at porn on your electronic devices instead of buying magazines. It is also easy to listen to secular music, whatever you want to hear, without it costing much or anything at all. What about the movies? It is so easy to see murders, adultery, theft, and blasphemies-- finding them to be the norm. Yet, with all these freedoms and ease of living, if not careful in our choices, we can corrupt our hearts by what we allow to enter.

Jesus taught that it’s a blessing to have pure hearts. Those with pure hearts will see God. Realizing these truths, we must do all, with God’s help, to have a pure heart. We must guard carefully the avenues of our soul – especially our eyes and ears – so as not to feed our hearts with evil thoughts and company. Only allow in what is good and noble and just. And yes, ask God’s help to keep your heart pure. Let us be pure, because others care.

Dear Heavenly Father, please help us to guard well the avenues of our souls. Keep us pure to see your face, we pray, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Copyrighted by Juliet Constantine 2014 (for “Alone With God – Finding Jesus In The Scriptures” Daily Devotional)