Are there some traditions that you keep that you may not understand?
Some scribes and Pharisees challenged Jesus and his disciples for not washing their hands ✋🤚 before eating 🍞 (Mark 7:1-23). The washing of hands they are referring to is a ceremonious process of washing hands 🙏 and not simply just for hygienic purposes 🧼. This was a tradition that was passed down among the Jews since the Old Testament times.
However, Jesus understood what was in their hearts at that moment and answered them: God does not look at the outwardly act of carrying out the tradition but rather He sees what is in our hearts as we carry it out. ❤
What about us? Are we like the religious leaders, chastising people for not doing things in terms of what we consider is proper?
Often, we compare ourselves to others because we think highly of ourselves. When this happens, we can shut God out from our lives, hardening our hearts in the process without even knowing it. But if we have eyes to see, we can see that God can use anyone to speak to us through their actions or through what they say.
May we ask God to open our eyes 👀 so that we see the things that we cannot see!
Summary by Evan