Jesus speaks clearly to the Pharisees who have corrupted all of God’s commandments with their own rules, rules that give them power and make them look good…on the outside. These rules did not come from the heart of God. We must ask ourselves daily, what’s in my heart? What will flow from my heart to others in my talk and walk?

Matthew 15, Msg

What Pollutes Your Life
15 1-2 After that, Pharisees and religion scholars came to Jesus all the way from Jerusalem, criticizing, “Why do your disciples play fast and loose with the rules?”

3-9 But Jesus put it right back on them. “Why do you use your rules to play fast and loose with God’s commands? God clearly says, ‘Respect your father and mother,’ and, ‘Anyone denouncing father or mother should be killed.’ But you weasel around that by saying, ‘Whoever wants to, can say to father and mother, What I owed to you I’ve given to God.’ That can hardly be called respecting a parent. You cancel God’s command by your rules. Frauds! Isaiah’s prophecy of you hit the bull’s-eye:

These people make a big show of saying the right thing,
but their heart isn’t in it.
They act like they’re worshiping me,
but they don’t mean it.
They just use me as a cover
for teaching whatever suits their fancy.”
10-11 He then called the crowd together and said, “Listen, and take this to heart. It’s not what you swallow that pollutes your life, but what you vomit up.”

12 Later his disciples came and told him, “Did you know how upset the Pharisees were when they heard what you said?”

13-14 Jesus shrugged it off. “Every tree that wasn’t planted by my Father in heaven will be pulled up by its roots. Forget them. They are blind men leading blind men. When a blind man leads a blind man, they both end up in the ditch.”

15 Peter said, “I don’t get it. Put it in plain language.”

16-20 Jesus replied, “You, too? Are you being willfully stupid? Don’t you know that anything that is swallowed works its way through the intestines and is finally defecated? But what comes out of the mouth gets its start in the heart. It’s from the heart that we vomit up evil arguments, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, lies, and cussing. That’s what pollutes. Eating or not eating certain foods, washing or not washing your hands—that’s neither here nor there.”

Again, we must evaluate our hearts the way God would. Are we only keeping the rules or being led by His Holy Spirit to fulfill the intent of God’s commands? The two most important, according to Jesus Christ is to love God and love others the way He loves us…unconditionally, full of mercy and grace. What’s inside counts more than outside. What’s in my heart?

Dear Heavenly Father, Your Word is convicting and affirming all at the same time. We repent of falling into rule keeping at times without thought to the motivation of our hearts. Cleanse and restore the joy of our salvation…that comes from our hearts and souls then flows to our minds. With a pure heart comes a pure mind and right attitudes. Yes, Lord, yes! In Jesus Name, Amen