Today’s Holy Nougat brought some very interesting thoughts to my mind. How about you?
Matthew 15:1-2 NIV
[1] Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked,
[2] “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!”
Hand Washing
It was the heart of the Covid-19 pandemic, and many were just in panic. I recall a sister-friend saying one of the best counteractive measures was hand washing. She reminded me that it was all about basic hygiene and good manners. Wash. Wipe. Flush. Wash. Repeat.
Unfortunately, few people practised that, hence the problem we all faced.
Medically and Scientifically, it was a little more than that, but the premise still holds true. Washing, brushing, and flushing go a long way in staving off diseases, full stop (Period). It would do us all well to practice good hygiene. My friend’s words soon became part of a mini campaign to contain the virus. In schools and public restrooms, signs abounded with instructions on how to counter the virus. It felt as if many people became self-appointed hand wash detectives.
Self-Check
Are you a germophobe or a hand-wash detective? What triggered it?
Application
As far as I’m aware, there was no Covid-19 virus in the era of the biblical Pharisees. There were several communicable, contagious diseases around, though. And without ready access to running water, it is likely that there were diseases a-plenty. More so, there were clear laws governing cleanliness, as well as keeping potential diseases under control. Even clearer, at least from our Nougat, was the fact that there were many hand-wash detectives!
The sarcastic side of me saw the irony of the scene and thought, ‘Did they notice once or twice, then began to place cleanliness checkmarks?’ Because, how else would they know that hand-washing was never part of the disciples’ practice! Or, was it that it started with one observation that they all then got caught up in? In light of their love-hate relationship, were there teams assigned to different activities of Y’shua and the disciples to provide fodder for any future accusation they (i.e., the Pharisees, Sadduces, and the Teachers of the Law) would levy against Y’shua?
My sarcasm may seem unwarranted or a bit extreme, but there is a sense in which the same could be said of Jesus’s detractors. Even if they knew they exaggerated.
But, hold on a second – aren’t we sometimes guilty of the same thing? How often has our people-watching transformed into people-judgement? Did we feel more sanctified and cleaner after doing so? Did our verdict result in forging/deepening prejudices against others? (Let’s remember that within the word prejudice, is the concept of pre-judging!) Did our prejudices also lead us to define other people by their sin?
Siblings, while we don’t condone sin, we must be careful that we don’t become the judge and jury for others. We have been saved solely by the grace of God through Y’shua Jesus. If we remained condemned by our sin, including hand washing detectives, we’d have zero hope of Heaven. But, thanks be to God, whether we’re the detective or the one being condemned, God’s grace is sufficient.
Point to Ponder/Pray
Let’s repent of where we’ve been guilty of prejudices and pray for those who face condemnation over the not-so-consequential.
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May all we seek be found in Christ
