The Pharisees and some of the scribes gathered to Him after they came from Jerusalem, and saw that some of His disciples were eating their bread with unholy hands, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees and all the other Jews do not eat unless they carefully wash their hands, thereby holding firmly to the tradition of the elders; and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they completely cleanse themselves; and there are many other things which they have received as traditions to firmly hold, such as the washing of cups, pitchers, and copper pots.) And the Pharisees and the scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk in accordance with the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with unholy hands?” But He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me. And in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’
When we are learning how to interview for a new job, starting at a new school, or traveling to a new place, we remember the importance of a good first impression. All this pressure for a good first impression is focused on setting up the way people will perceive and understand us moving forward. We will dress up according to what will be accepted by the majority we meet; we speak in a way that will blend with the culture; and we put on our best behavior for the group we want to be accepted by all to make that first impression. For many generations, we have had this preoccupation on the external work to clean up the way we appear to others. Even in church we can put on an act: we can dress the right way, give the right answers, and even sing the songs of worship with our congregation and still have hearts that are far from God.
Even though we put so much pressure on that first impression, we know that first impression can be deceiving because what it focuses on the external quick fixes instead of exposing what is really in the heart. While the external work is easier to do with regiments, legalism, or even behavior modification, it never gets at the true problem under it all. Our hearts are not inclined to pursue God in the hard places of our lives. When we hide with shame or cover up our sin with behavior change, we are not fooling God, we are fooling ourselves. Like the Pharisees, we think we are pleasing God with our works, but we have not opened our hearts to receive His grace to heal those heart wounds.
- When was the last time you were confronted with your sin? How did you pursue God to heal your heart?
- What is the difference between behavior modification and heart change?
- Pray and confess to God the sin you have been struggling with and ask Him to heal those wounds.
