Discerning our heart's desires
“Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a man can make him 'unclean' by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him 'unclean.’…For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean.’" – Mark 7:14-22
It was June 2006 when I attended my first White House staff function in the Treaty Room of the Old Executive Building. Scanning the crowd of some 100 people I began to make small talk with a few of the guests. Some worked in the White House Legislative Affairs, some were speechwriters for the president, and others had moved into the lobbying side of Washington.
As I continued noting the room dynamics, it was evident that most guests knew others and engaged in conversations. They were comfortable with each other. Those attending were attractive, well educated, and ambitious. They worked for the President of the United States. Most came from other parts of the country to be change agents. They wanted to make a difference. To be honest, I felt like an outsider. The odd person.
As I meet and think about beltway insiders, I ask myself, who are these people? Really. What do they actually believe? How do they view themselves? Perhaps more importantly, how are they viewed by God?
In the middle of the New Testament book of Mark, we read about a gathering near the capital city, Jerusalem. Pharisees and teachers of the law, leaders in the Jewish religious community, complained to Jesus that some of his disciples had not properly cleaned their hands according to tradition. When returning from the marketplace one would “ceremonially wash.” This would make you “clean” after coming into contact with those in the community who were unacceptable.
The leaders were offended that the disciples did not follow the rules. Jesus used the opportunity to address the question of the true nature of man. Who were these people really? What was the true condition of their hearts?
Jesus' response made it clear that the basic nature of a person is unacceptable to God. Why? Because all men and women are unclean. To make the point he is very descriptive, “For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly” (Mark 7:21-22).
Jesus’ description of the unclean condition of the heart shows what is true selfishness: depriving others of the benefits that belong to them. What do theft, murder, adultery, and greed have in common? They take place out of passion for, or idolatry of, self: selfish desires, selfish gain, self-promotion.
When tempted to take something that belongs to another, one is consumed with the pursuit of a cheap form of happiness — obtained at the expense of another. This “me idol” takes another’s property or reputation (theft), another’s life (murder), or another’s spouse (adultery). In some cases, it is pure greed. At other times a relationship that has grown ugly reveals the depth of our wayward self — not a pretty picture.
But the ugliness also surfaces in other ways. Jesus’ perspective of the heart includes additional dimensions of selfishness. We believe that the only way to survive within a community is deception. We want our community to think that we are something that we are not. The deceptive mask is a way of sending a message that the world should see us as attractive. Again, the “me idol” feeds on self-centeredness at the expense of the truth. Arrogance, and all its accompanying traits, is a common force among those pursuing or wielding power in this city and like communities throughout the world. Is there any hope?
Yes, there is hope. It always begins with Jesus, the resurrected Lord, not in a self-help system. When we come humbly before Jesus and see what he sees there is reason to be optimistic. That means that we own who we are. We see our hearts, thinking, words and actions as Jesus does. That should concern us — humble us. Yet, he makes it clear that he cares for us and invites us to come to himself with all of our sin.
The writer of the book of Hebrews informs us that our focus is to be on the living Christ.
“…let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame…” – Hebrews 12:1b-2
The challenging task of seeing our need of the gospel and seeking the only Savior is evidence that the Holy Spirit is at work in our lives. It is right for us to acknowledge his work and express our gratitude for his grace with thanksgiving. We are not to ever ignore our sin. Yet, it is in seeing our sin that drives us to the only one who can cleanse us from the presence and consequence of our sin. May our lives continually be transformed by his grace and love for which we give him praise.
Chuck Garriott is the Executive Director of Ministry to State
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