8th February 2012 Mark 7:14-23

Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this.  Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.”   After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable.  “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)  He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them.  For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.  All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

Here's another passage which speaks to me about the requirement on us to be inclusive and loving and accepting.  If it is the things inside us which matter then any hatred or lack of acceptance of people with different lifestyles and beliefs is a reflection on our lack of love and faith.  It is easy for us to pass judgement on people who live lives which we feel are wrong, but what about the fact that this judgement is not for ourself and is full of arrogance and slander?

Father today we are reminded that you are the only one who judges, let us not cast slights on others but rather look inside ourselves. Amen