- These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Matthew 15:8 – This was Jesus’ struggle with the religious people He encountered. What they said and taught others to do was on point, but inside, the way they thought and the lack of compassion for people, was far from where God wanted it to be. Thankfully this isn’t a problem at all in the Christian life today. We never see people who are one way with their words and yet their heart and mind aren’t in the same place. I hope you gathered I was joking there because it still is a problem in our lives today. Let’s make sure that the compassion and love for others that Jesus showed is growing deep on the inside as well as being expressed with our words. Don’t let their be a difference between what comes out and what’s growing within. If though you know what’s inside wouldn’t be good on the outside, then begin the work needed to change that inside (remember, that’s the sort of work God is amazing at). I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 869
- But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone. Matthew 15:18-20 – I’ll direct you often in these devotions to do a heart check, to check to see if the attitude and bent of your heart is after Jesus. This passage enlightens us to how to do a proper heart check. Examine what came out of your mouth yesterday. See yesterday you didn’t know about this whole examination so you weren’t abnormally careful of what you might say. So thinking back to yesterday, what would the things that came out of your mouth say about your heart? Was rudeness, gossip, anger, impurity, and/or dishonesty coming out? Was compassion, truth, kindness, purity, and/or love coming out? If you’re like it was a mix of both sides, which side do you think your kids remember the most today? Or your spouse? Or your friends? It’s of the utmost importance that we prioritize the healthiness of our heart. For out of a defiled heart comes the things that will scar people and push people away from Jesus. Out of a pure heart comes the things that will heal and push people towards Jesus. Ask God to change your change to one that is clean and after Him and be wise about what you are consuming. If the state of your heart matters this much, let’s not treat it as something that doesn’t matter. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1965
Daily DEVO 