A religious man invited Jesus to his house and was surprised because Jesus didn’t wash his hands before sitting, as tradition dictated.

And the Lord said, “You Pharisees are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and plate, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. Fools, didn’t God make both the inside and the outside?”.

While maintaining hygiene is important before sitting at the table, this was a practice purely for religious reasons. It was believed that by washing hands, one was symbolically cleansing the soul to access God’s provision.

This teaching was incorrect, but Jesus took the opportunity to emphasize that, though we all have an outer life, we shouldn’t neglect our inner life.

If we’re honest, we spend a significant part of our time and budget on personal hygiene and appearance. But what about our soul? Doesn’t it require the same time and concern?

Let’s not neglect our outward appearance, but also, let’s not overlook our inner well-being. At least once a day, let’s take a moment to touch up our soul in the presence of God and His Word.