Contamination

Long ago in Israel, the Pharisees feared contamination. Sin could creep in from anything: from touching a sinful person, from eating an unclean animal or something not slaughtered in a ceremonial way, from breathing certain air, from walking in certain places.

In The Law, there were many codes of conduct and behavior that dealt with sin and with contamination, but Jesus came with grace. He came to get rid of the contaminating sin, which, He says, erupts out of our hearts.

A pastor told a story about how he, as a hypocondriac, took his family to Malaysia during the SARS outbreak a few years ago, and he was "paranoid that (he) would somehow be contaminated by those (he) came into contact with."

And those words echoed in my heart... How many of us fear contamination and speak of being victims of things when we hurt others? How many of us forget grace and mercy and put on fear and disgust?

Jesus said in Matthew 15: ¹⁷Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach, and goes out into the sewer? ¹⁸But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles.¹⁹For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. ²⁰These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile.’

A few weeks ago, I walked in a park with a friend. There was a homeless man going around to the bins looking for food and my heart just broke for him. I went over to him and I asked him if I could buy him a sandwich--he gratefully acquiesed to my request, so I went off to get some food for him at a park cafe.

When I came back, I handed him the bag and had a small chat with him. Towards the end, I had to rejoin my friend, I held out my hand to shake his... his hand was wrinkled, blackened and discolored with dirt and abuse from living rough for so long. He looked at my hand, and hesitated, but I looked him in the eyes smiling... I was not afraid of the contamination. He sheepishly wiped his hand on his trousers and took my hand hesitantly and I smiled at him and was off.

Don't for a minute think that this one good act makes me think I am somehow ace at this... I fail all the time. I judge others and I gossip. I tear people down behind their backs and pure malice comes out of my heart at times... I am in no ways perfect... and these things that come out of me contaminate my heart with sin and evil more than many good deeds or thoughts.

The shining light in the darkness in all of this is that Jesus' sacrifice covers both the weaknesses of others and my own shortcomings. His blood washes away the contamination in our hearts... the enemies deadly poison, and washes us as white as snow. From these pure hearts we can love those around us, taking the grace of God into their lives.