In our church we recently studied the book of Mark. It struck me as I read that book that Jesus was continually dealing with people who had a tendency to look on outward expressions of religion and overlook the inner condition of their own hearts. The issue Jesus often emphasized was the heart. Look at one of those instances. It is in Mark 7:14-23.

“After He [Jesus] called the crowd to Him again, He began saying to them, ‘Listen to Me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man. When he had left the crowd and entered the house, His disciples questioned Him about the parable. And He said to them, ‘Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?’…And He was saying, ‘That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.”

I want to point out a few observations from this teaching of Jesus.

It must be easy to miss

Jesus taught the crowd, and then His own disciples questioned Him. They hadn’t understood clearly enough. They missed it - but sensed that it was important enough to ask for further clarification. Jesus, it appears, partially scolded them for not understanding, but explained it further. I take from this that the issue of the heart and it’s place in the real Christian life is easily missed.

We human beings gravitate to outward measurements of our spirituality. In the context of Mark 7 the example was food. There were dietary restrictions placed on the Jewish people - but the purpose of those restrictions and the significance of following those rules were misunderstood. The real issue wasn’t the stomach - it was the “heart.” The inner person. The place where love and desire and decision and worship take place.

It is easier to look at my diet than to look at my heart. Jesus was forcing the issue. He was making His disciples think about the importance of the heart.

It makes sense

Certain foods, pork, for example, can’t change the heart. We know that! We know that by eating or not eating certain foods our inner person isn’t changed! We also know that sinful desires and actions don’t come up from our stomach! They come from our “heart!”

It all makes sense, but Jesus had to emphasize it, and by doing so in His time and the Spirit ensuring that it was written in the Scriptures, it is emphasized to you and me too. When you stop to think about it, you readily acknowledge that Jesus is right.

So what do we do about it?

The particular chapter in which this story takes place only infers what we should do with this truth. Jesus didn’t list particular actions we were to take. But I believe there is an application to our lives. We must face up to the truth that the living of the Christian life will be accomplished more by looking to the inward recesses of our hearts than to the outward practices. We can add rules to ourselves and grit out teeth and muster up self-determination, and try to perform. But that isn’t real Christianity. Real Christianity is allowing God to change our hearts. Participating with Him in the renovation of our hearts.

What about you? Where is your focus as you try to walk with Christ - outside, or inside?