The first part of Mark 7 is one of those stories that takes some explanation. What we as a modern audience are missing is who the Pharisees are. The Pharisees were the ultimate religious people - they followed every rule, memorized every commandment, and when they were done, added a few new rules of their own.
The Pharisees believed that, so long as they followed all these rules - prayed the right way, ate the right foods, washed their hands the “religious way” - that they were right with God regardless of the way they talked to or treated people.
Jesus’ response is devastating: it isn’t what you put in you that makes you “clean” or holy. It's what comes out of you - your words and deeds - that show who you really are. Following God isn’t about checking boxes and making sacrifices, it's about showing love - being like Christ - to everyone.
How can YOU show love to someone today?