Good Boundaries and Goodbyes: Loving Others Without Losing the Best of Who You Are

by Lysa TerKeurst

Remember, some people appear to say the right things, but their actions betray their words. Jesus quoted Isaiah 29:13 in reference to such people: “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.” This was in the context of Jesus explaining what defiles a person in Matthew 15. Jesus went on to explain that people like the Pharisees are “blind guides” and instructs those listening to leave them! Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.” Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?” He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” (verses 10–14) So, lesson learned: Remember how Jesus defines the blind guide. Matthew 15:19–20, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person.” It is not only okay to end a relationship where these things are present, Jesus warns us if we don’t, we may run the risk of falling into a pit with them. I don’t want to be a pit dweller. I want to walk in the light. I want to delight in the truth. And I want my heart, mind, and words t...