Mark 7:14-37

Jesus explained to His disciples that what they put into their bodies did not defile them, but what came out did. It isn't the food we eat or whether we have clean hands when we eat, but how we think and act. We have to see things the way God sees them. When we try to replace God's definitions with our own, we are saying that we know better than God.


Jesus was approached by a Gentile woman who wanted Him to heal her daughter. Jesus tested her by not helping immediately. He told her that the children (the Jewish people) should be satisfied first and that their bread shouldn't be thrown to the dogs (the Gentiles). She responded that even the dogs get the scraps that fall from the table. Jesus told her that because of her answer, her daughter had been healed. When we go to God in prayer, we must honestly believe He will hear and answer us. God answers the faithful.


Next, Jesus healed a man who was deaf and had trouble speaking. Jesus truly and honestly cares about people. He spent much of His time healing people and meeting their physical needs. We have to remember that people are physical and spiritual beings and many times we need to meet their physical needs before we can meet their spiritual needs.