Scripture:
Mark 7:15 15: “Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into the. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.”
Observation:
Jesus is rebuking the Pharisees for their worship of human traditions (religion). They worship these over the commands of God. Verse 8: “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions.” He explains that following traditions does not make us clean. Rather it is our own responses and actions that define us.
Application:
I see this message to me today as a reminder that I am in control of my responses to the outside world. It is my responses that define my life and my closeness to God. There are so many outside events that happen to us all. It is up to me to take what happens on the outside and react in a Godly manner. My response (inside) is entirely under the control of my heart. I can blame others for my circumstances (outside) but I am entirely responsible for my reactions. My life is not defined by what happens to me it is defined by what comes out of me. I can react to my circumstances in a worldly way or a Godly way.
Prayer:
Father, keep my heart focused on you. Help me to bring Your goodness out of me and into the world. Help me to see myself as others and You see me. I want to be known as a person of God. I want God’s love and goodness to flow out of me.