When we lived in northern Japan, I noticed some small figurines of three monkeys sitting together in a row in many stores.
The first monkey figurine had his hands over his eyes. The second monkey figurine had his hands over his ears. The third monkey figurine had his hands over his mouth, and there they sat side by side.
Some say it started there in the 17th century.
What does the Bible say about those principles?
If we have ever accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, Jesus wants and expects us to live a life that honors Him and God the Father. The Bible refers to the way we live as the way we walk.
Ephesians Chapter 5 verses 1-21 explains very plainly how God wants Christians to walk.
Evil permeates our world, so we must be very careful. We had an elderly godly deacon in our Church, and he used to say, “Don’t believe anything you hear and only half of what you see.”
Parts of our bodies can defile us, the mouth, Jesus taught about it.
Matthew 15:10-14 And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: 11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” 12 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” 13 He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. 14 Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”
The heart and Jesus said the heart is connected to the mouth, it reflects the heart.
Matthew 15:15-18 But Peter said to him, “Explain the parable to us.” 16 And he said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? 18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.
And out of the heart, just what can the heart produce? Evil thoughts, murders, acts of adultery, other immoral sexual acts, thefts, false statements and slanderous statements.
Matthew 15:19-20 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. 20 These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.
Mark 7:20-23 And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”
See you in Church next Sunday.