Dirty Hands

So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don´t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?” Mark 7:5 (TNIV)

They got caught.  Jesus´ followers were eating food with unclean hands.  They failed to observe the norm, the rule, what all the other God-fearing people knew to be the correct way to conduct themselves.  There they were with their dirty hands in the cookie jar so to speak.  There was no excuse, they were busted.

Have we ever been there?  Surely we have, on one side of the fence or the other.  Either we were the ones who knew the acceptable norm and caught someone red-handed doing just what they shouldn´t.  Or we were the clumsy one who knew they shouldn´t be doing something and someone else caught us in the act.

It doesn´t matter what religion we are from, what country we were born in or what color our skin is.  There are just things that we know we should and can do, and there are things that we are not permitted to do.

The story of the Disciples getting caught was not anywhere near an accident.  It has been written down and taught to us as well.  It therefore becomes an excellent tool for our education in the ways of Jesus and His kingdom.  Throughout the entire history of our human race, we have had a knack at organizing these little systems of dos and don´ts.  When it comes to religions and church organizations it seems to an outside observer that these organizations are made up of little more.

Behind all the rules about what is acceptable and not, there were originally some good intentions.  God laid out for His people many good and up-building commandments.  However, with our expertise in confusing the issues, we have always managed to make the rule grow in importance until it crowds out even its intended purposes.

To make an example, a father tries to teach his child to pray before bed each night.  He explains the reasons for it and teaches of the One to whom our prayer time is intended to bring us closer to.  The intentions are good and lofty and soon we have created a healthy routine.  Over time we continue with our little act of worship, but now with the stress of getting off to bed it becomes a hollow ritual.  “C´mon,” we say “Say your prayer and off to bed.” The child quickly recites by heart what it leaned and jumps into bed, little realizing that it just missed a great opportunity to approach the Lord.

We do this so often we don´t even realize.  The Pharisees were so wrapped up in what the directives were that they forgot that the whole idea of being a believer in God was directing themselves in all honesty to their God.  The rules, the traditions and ritual had become religion for them.  They would not have recognized God if He were standing right in front of them.  They certainly didn´t recognize God´s very own Son.

As tragic as it sounds when we hear of how far off track the Pharisees had gotten, it might be an even greater tragedy that we today, after their perfect illustration, could fall to the same shallow errors.  The Christian today is so well versed in what is acceptable behavior and what is not, that he stands perilously close on filling the boots of a Pharisee.  We who believe in God in today´s world need to be extremely careful that we do not miss the opportunity to draw near to God or His Son because we are wrapped up in knowing and observing our rules.

Dear Lord, thank You for gently guiding our attention once again up over our norms and regulations.  Surely there are things we should be doing, but never let us place them before You.  Let us see clearly that Your directives are to guide us into a closer and deeper bond with You and more dependent on You instead of just making us dependent upon our rules.

Amen