Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.” Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?” He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” Peter said, “Explain the parable to us.” “Are you still so dull?” Jesus asked them. “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”

Popularity is frequently sought after, but it is often fleeting. When we sacrifice what is good and right at the altar of popularity, it compromises our conscience and our motives over time.

The disciples seem concerned about their status with the Pharisees. Jesus is more concerned with his status with God. He is accountable at a heavenly level, which trumps worldly leaders’ opinions, when in opposition to God and his will.

Jesus instructs his disciples to “Leave them!” He is trying to help them get perspective. Blind guides lead the blind in circles, sometimes into a pit. So leave them and focus on what God wants us to do instead.

Jesus called out the Pharisees as blind guides. He called them out as hypocrites. But he did not get consumed with battling them.

He also called out demons and cast them out of people. But he did not focus on all the evil around him either. Instead, he focused on God and his will.

As a model of this way of living, he explains his parable to the disciples. While the Pharisees focused on what gets put into the body (dirt, germs, etc.), and made a big deal about not washing your hands, God focuses on the things that come out of a person, from their heart. Without a relationship with God, evil comes out of a sinner's heart — murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander.

Conversely, if we focus on keeping our hearts clean, then our thoughts, speech and actions will be full of — love, joy, kindness, patience, peace, goodness, faithfulness, perseverance, and self control.

Lord, help me to focus on the condition of my heart more than comparing my righteousness to others. May my life reflect your glory and be lived out in the goodness of your ways.