Defiled

Mark 7:20-23  “What comes out of a man is what defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, fornication, theft, murder, adultery, coveting,wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a man.”


When I look at human nature I see so much of those things that Jesus listed as coming out of a man. When we turn our free will to it's common focus of "I want what I want when I want it.", we see that these behaviors come streaming out. Some give us momentary gratification, or a sense of control or power, but at the same time they naturally strip away our peace and our joy. They lead us to protect ourselves from other people who want what they want when they want it and are willing to use or manipulate you to their advantage or for their gratification. What comes out of us defiles us because we lose some of our most valuable possessions all of which have to do with internal peace and joy and trust and the ability to give and receive true love.

When we let God in then we find a source of different things to come out of a man. The change is not automatic but the sometimes gradual and always persistent changes that God creates in us leads to the new man of which the scriptures speak. I am a new creation in Christ, the old has gone and the new has come, thanks be to God.

Defilement is less common coming out from me I hope and pray these days. I wade in the waters of peace and joy and love these days. My human nature is wounded and bleeding but not gone. I know that daily giving myself to Christ keeps the wounded one down, but I know I need the help of the Holy Spirit to live the life that best for me and all those around me as well.