Only Natural?

Then Peter said to Jesus, “Explain to us the parable that says people aren’t defiled by what they eat.”   “Don’t you understand yet?” Jesus asked.  “Anything you eat passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer.  But the words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you.  For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander.  These are what defile you.  Eating with unwashed hands will never defile you.” [Matthew 15.15-20]

I've often thought that there are just some things man does that are natural inclinations borne of being alive.  But it is deeper than that... and more important than that.  It includes more than that.

We cannot write off natural inclinations as "okay."  Just because we want to punch someone in the nose does not make it okay!  When we say, "it's only natural" to have some desire to do something (pick anything from the list Jesus gave), then we are classifying those actions in the same category as eaten food which is necessary and natural for survival.

I would like to take a moment here to point out the futility and the error of the idea of evolution.  If, in fact, we agree to follow our 'natural inclinations' (as evolution would suggest we are okay to do - because it is "only natural"), then we would also agree that we are not evolving, but devolving since we are following the actions of animals (from which we supposedly evolved).

How we handle the inclinations toward the actions Jesus listed is what distinguishes us from the animals.  Animals only do what their instinct or stomach tells them to do.  We live at a higher standard.  We live in consciousness of God.  We, unlike animals, are faced every day with the idea of God (whether we acknowledge Him or not), and because of that, must consciously make decisions about Jesus' list above.

Think about it, there is no 'right' or 'wrong' in evolution - just the survival of the fittest.  No matter how much monkeys and elephants are taught to do (including to fear the consequences of particular undesired actions or to anticipate the food-reward for other desired actions), they are incapable of making real decisions about right and wrong - they are mostly just 'following their stomach.'

Jesus classifies humanity at a different level.  He moves humanity from the stomach to the heart.  So, in order to deal with the list Jesus gave, we must deal with the heart.

Father, help me to get in touch with my heart.  I know it requires leaving off a little attention to my stomach.  Help me.