Trimming the Hedges

Mark 7:1-23

1 The Pharisees and some of the scribes gathered around Him when they had come from Jerusalem, 2 and had seen that some of His disciples were eating their bread with impure hands, that is, unwashed. 3 (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they carefully wash their hands, thus observing the traditions of the elders; 4 and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they cleanse themselves; and there are many other things which they have received in order to observe, such as the washing of cups and pitchers and copper pots.) 5 The Pharisees and the scribes asked Him, "Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with impure hands?" 6 And He said to them, "Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:
BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.
7 'BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME,
TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.'
8 "Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men."
9 He was also saying to them, "You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition. 10 "For Moses said, 'HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER'; and, 'HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER, IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH'; 11 but you say, 'If a man says to his father or his mother, whatever I have that would help you is Corban (that is to say, given to God),' 12 you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or his mother; 13 thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that."

The Heart of Man

14 After He called the crowd to Him again, He began saying to them, "Listen to Me, all of you, and understand: 15 there is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man. 16 ["If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."]
17 When he had left the crowd and entered the house, His disciples questioned Him about the parable. 18 And He said to them, "Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him, 19 because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?" (Thus He declared all foods clean.) 20 And He was saying, "That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man. 21 "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, 22 deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. 23 "All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man."

Having lived in a bunch of places across the US, I know there are certain things you just don't do.

The challenge is, of course, that those things change depending on which particular place you find yourself....

I wouldn't think of wearing casual clothes to church in one place, wouldn't think of wearing formal clothes in the other. I wouldn't think of saying ma'am in one environment, would be careful to say it all the time in another.

Each individual subculture provides caveats and morays which aim to make a person more in line with the norm. Hedges are grown around the person so that he or she does not do something which injures the peace.

Of course, that palpable societal disgust can affect behavior in both positive and negative ways. The same culture that promotes honoring elders can also promote hating gays.

In Philadelphia, we are in the midst of a violent crime wave. While all of us are, in some way, affected; the crime wave really is isolated to only a few sections of the city. One exacerbation of the situation is the new cultural norm of not "snitchin'." This philosophy (and it is, unfortunately, a cultural norm now), teaches young and old alike that it is morally-better to let a murderer go free than to cooperate with police as a witness. It is a tragedy that, in this way, many are participating in their culture's own destruction.

Not surprisingly, these cultural norms also affect our religious lives. Back in school, a professor (also an Episcopalian priest) told a story about his time in Holland. While he was there, he would gather with several other members of the clergy at morning get-togethers. During some of these get-togethers, refreshments would be served....which, on one occasion, were shots of vodka and cigars.

When he refused these "refreshments," his colleagues looked at him with confusion, "why don't you enjoy? God's gifts are good?"

Later on, he discovered that, while vodka shots in the morning were kosher, the group would never allow anyone to play cards or encourage dancing.

The challenge that Christ puts before us is not that everything under the sun is moral if we want it to be. Instead, He teaches the disciples that moral behavior has to be the product of internal conviction, and not exterior obedience. Following the morays of a particular group or tradition are only so good as they edify and enhance your own internal connection to Christ and love for others.

Those who focus attention on avoiding wrong behavior, to the exclusion of being energized about loving behavior, have missed the point. The Good News is that we are no longer convicted by our inability to walk a perfectly straight line, as long as we look upon Him and believe. The evidence of that belief, and the response, is not measured reluctance; but, rather, an enthusiastic embrace of loving behavior, generosity of spirit, and dedication to connection.

Self-discipline is an important part of the walk; but, only in-so-much as it helps us focus on what is really important...away from the things of man and towards the will of God.