NET Mark 7:15 "There is nothing outside of a person that can defile him by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles him."
"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me."
How many of us learned this when we were kids? Or taught it to our kids? Or Grandkids? It sounds good, and it may make us feel better at the time, but it really isn't true.
Too many people suffer from verbal abuse - kids, spouses, employees - at the hands of other kids, parents, spouses, in-laws, fellow employees, or bosses. The truth is, words can hurt. They hurt the one who hears them, and they hurt the one who says them.
The sad thing about words, is that we really can't take them back. We say we take them back; we really did not mean what we said. But once the words leave your mouth - they are out there - forever. You cannot take them back, make the other person un-hear them.
Jesus tells the Pharisees, and again later, his disciples, about this. The Pharisees have harassed Jesus and his followers about how they eat, how they do not follow the rituals for handwashing, and bowl washing, or anything of the rituals used to prepare one for eating. They defile the food they eat by eating with unclean hands.
Jesus tells them - it is not what you eat, or how you eat it, that makes you unclean - it is what comes out of you - what you say - what you do - that makes you unclean.
Words can hurt you - and the one to whom you say them. Those foul words that roll off the tongue so easily - they do defile you. They are unclean - and they came from within you. In fact, at this point, you might realize that those words you said may hurt you more than they hurt the person at whom you directed them.
How do we keep from doing this? Jesus gave us two commandments - love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your mind, and all your soul, and love your neighbor as yourself. Let what comes out of you be love, which will not defile you. Let love be what others see in you, and receive from you, and be clean in heart and mind. Let the blood that Christ shed on the cross be the only ritual cleansing that you need, and the love that you share with others.
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2 comments:
Glad to see you found time to post. I know that you are busy. My blog has suffered the same consequence of internship.
I made a post concerning this same subject in July. It fits nicely with what you have written here.
I have found so many good posts, articles, and other tid bits from bloggers that serve as devotional material. I hope you don't mind if I use this one in the future.
You are welcome to use it; I've used a couple of yours for the same reason.
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