Mark 7  The Pharisees come out from Jerusalem to confront Jesus.  These are the big guys, the chief leaders as opposed to the local yokels.   They are looking for a sign, but they start with criticism.  The disciples were not observing the traditional rituals and the Pharisees judged them based on this failure.  Jesus responds to this with truth.  They were being hypocrites.  They made their traditions equal to or more important than God's word.  This revealed the hardness of their hearts.

Jesus goes on to teach that there is nothing that you eat that defiles you. It simply goes into the stomach and is eliminated naturally.  But.. the heart of man is the source of everything that defiles us.
Evil thoughts, fornication, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness... "all these evil things proceed from within and defile the man."

In God's Kingdom, the heart condition matters more than anything else.. more than traditions, more than actions, more than food, more than money... A hard heart that is full of evil of any kind is far from God and cannot see Him. "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God."  Jesus taught.
Only He can make our hearts pure.  It begins with the Word of God.. not with man's traditions.
We must recognize our poverty of spirit. We must mourn over our evil hearts.  We must humble ourselves before our heavenly Father. We must hunger and thirst for HIS righteousness.  And we must follow Jesus by denying ourselves, taking up our crosses, losing our lives, and proclaiming Him as Lord of all.

The end of this chapter is about a trip that Jesus takes clear across the countryside to Tyre.  He is looking for a private place, but "He could not escape notice."  A woman with a little daughter came to beg Jesus for help. Jesus tells her, "Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."  But, she had a great response.. " Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table feed on the children's crumbs."  And He delivers the little girl immediately.
This is interesting.  We know Jesus had already delivered Legion.. not a Jew.  And he healed all those that came to Him in Gennesaret.  Why did He say this to this Gentile woman?  Yet, it elicited a response of faith.. and perhaps that was the point.

Father in heaven, we are so thankful that You provide every need for every one who will call upon the Lord.  Will You purify our hearts more and more so that we can live for You, abiding with You and walking the path with Jesus!  Thank You. Amen.