The laws of cleanliness and defilement that were instituted by Moses were given to teach the Israelites about something deeper than physical cleanliness. The daily practice of certain ceremonies relating to cleanliness was intended to ingrain a mindset about purity and impurity which they could then apply in a spiritual and moral sense. The Israelites were called to be a holy people who would shine as a light to the world. So spiritual purity was of utmost importance. However, by the first century, they had focused on the laws themselves and lost sight of the principles that the laws were intended to ingrain. They even added new laws which contradicted the principles of the original Mosaic laws. It was a tragic exercise in missing the point completely. It is also remarkably common for people to get involved in Christian activities in ways and with attitudes that completely contradict the principles that every Christian activity should be upholding. How is it that so many Christian churches get splintered by quarrels over how things should be done? It happens all the time and it completely misses the point. If things aren’t the way you would like them to be, try stopping and reflecting on the bigger picture and whether you are really going to strengthen your church. Focus on your responsibility and the role that God has assigned to you. What matters most is not what comes to you from others but what comes from you to others. In every situation ask yourself, am I missing the point here? Don’t focus on what you want but on what God wants from you in this situation.
Reflect on how you responded to the last contentious situation you were in.
Read Matthew 15:1-20
