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Then he called the crowd to him and said to them, ‘Listen and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles.’ Then the disciples approached and said to him, ‘Do you know that the Pharisees took offence when they heard what you said?’ He answered, ‘Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if one blind person guides another, both will fall into a pit.’ But Peter said to him, ‘Explain this parable to us.’Then he said, ‘Are you also still without understanding?Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach, and goes out into the sewer? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile.’ Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, ‘Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.’ But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, ‘Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.’ He answered, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’ But she came and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, help me.’ He answered, ‘It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.’ She said, ‘Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.’ Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.’ And her daughter was healed instantly. (Matthew 15:10-28)
Did you ever stop to think that what you see in the mirror may be a reflection of what is in your heart? Certainly, what comes out of our mouths gives away who we are and what we are thinking. The ever present critics and would-be captors of Jesus wanted to trap Him in anything He might say or do. In this instance, Jesus and His disciples were seen as not having washed their hands before eating. This troubled Jesus, for after His encounter with His enemies He still discussed this with the disciples. Jesus says it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles someone, it is what comes out. And it's not necessarily what we call curse words, but words that harm and maim and kill. This week's news from this nation have shown that to be true. Instead of sharing words of love, peace, and harmony among the races, hate groups like the KKK and the alt.right, and Nazis, came together in a rally. One of the photos coming out of that meeting was a baby dressed as a Klansman, alone, touching the riot shield of a policeman. You question, what is in the heart of this baby, and who put it there? The same could be asked of the adults in that place, and certainly of the 20 year-old who mowed down a crowd killing a young woman. If you have evil in your heart, evil will come out of your mouth and your actions will reflect the shortcomings you have before God and God's creatures. It's not about how clean your hands are.
The actions shifts as a Canaanite woman comes towards Jesus shouting, asking Jesus for mercy for her daughter, who was tormented by a demon. At first, Jesus does not answer her and keeps walking. It was the disciples who were bothered by her actions and they asked Jesus to send her away. Jesus states that His plan was for the "lost sheep of the house of Israel." The exchange between Jesus and her convinced Jesus of this woman's faith and her request was granted. What was in her heart was the love and desire for wholeness in her daughter, and she had faith that Jesus was the One who could heal this daughter. Out of the desire for goodness, goodness was granted to her.
What's in your heart?
PRAYER: Loving God, examine me and remove from me all that should not be there. Help me to be a person of faith, who blesses You and Yours. I long to be one whose heart is filled with pure love for all; an unconditional love like the one You have for me. Grant it so that I may tell others about You and Your love. This I pray in Christ Jesus my Lord, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. Love like Jesus loves you today!
Eradio Valverde
