This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me. Mark 7:6

As with many of Jesus’ teachings, say, “if you have lust in your heart,” (Matthew 5:28) and here, dealing with heartless worship, it’s impossible to hide from his penetrating eyes.

We all dread the various procedures doctors use to “scope out” firsthand the condition of our bodies. There’s no hiding what they see. Woe to us if Jesus spots a heart that’s at odds with our religious words and deeds. And he sees all.

We need to live our lives inside out. I remember what Joseph said in closed quarters to Potiphar’s wife when propositioned, “How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9)

The only lust in his heart was for God.