What comes out of the mouth that defile a man.

Here is a poem that reflects on the profound truth of what defiles a person, drawing from the teachings of Jesus.

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From The Heart's Deep Well

It is not what goes in, a transient taste, A fleeting rule,a custom embraced or disgraced. The plate,the cup, the hand unwashed, unclean— These are not where the true defilement is seen.

No, it is what comes out—the word, the breath, That speaks of life within,or inner death. A torrent poured from the heart's own deep well, The hidden things that our utterances tell.

For from the heart, these evil things proceed: The bitter root of an unrighteous seed. Vile thoughtsthat in the hidden darkness grow, And into cutting,cruel falsehoods flow.

The murders plotted in a mind of spite, Theadulteries cherished in the night. Theft, slander, greed—a dark and wretched choir, Set loose and fanned to an unholy fire.

Blasphemies, envy, malice, pride, deceit— These are the things that make a soul incomplete. These are the stains no outer wash can clear, The inner rot,the true and constant fear.

So guard my heart, O God, its source and spring, From which my every thought and action bring. Let living water flow from deep within, And cleanse me from the power of every sin.

For only what is pure within the breast, Can give the weary,watching world its rest. And only what You sanctify inside, Can be a place where holiness abides.

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The Scripture at the Heart (Matthew 15:11, 18-20)

This poem is a reflection on the teaching of Jesus that redefined purity and defilement:

"What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them." (Matthew 15:11)

"But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them." (Matthew 15:18-20)

Jesus shifts the focus from external, ritual purity to the internal state of the human heart. The mouth is simply the messenger, revealing the true content of the soul. The poem lists the "evil things" He named, emphasizing that true transformation must begin within.