Fellow Christian,

Thanks to the covid-19 pandemic America’s hands have never been cleaner. We give folks a wide berth at the supermarket. We disinfect doorknobs, gas pumps, shopping carts, and…well…basically everything. These days, we are viewing everyone and every surface with suspicion, but I don’t get the sense that most Americans are scrutinizing their inner world with the same energy and concern as external surfaces. Remember when Jesus said, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence?” (Matthew 23:25)

It is a little absurd to be strict about cleaning one’s hands while remaining cavalier about the sin-sullied condition of our hearts. Maintaining clean hands will matter greatly in the coming weeks, but what about a thousand years from now?

Wash your hands, yes, but remember the words of Jesus, "it's the things that come out of a person that defile him."