🕊️ Clean Hands Don’t Make a Clean Heart

In this passage, Jesus gets invited to dinner by a Pharisee. But instead of following the ritual hand-washing custom, He skips it—and immediately gets side-eyed for it. The Pharisee is shocked. And Jesus? He goes straight for the jugular of the human heart.

“You Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness…
But as to what is within, give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you.”
(Luke 11:39-41)

What Jesus Was Actually Saying

At first glance, it sounds like He’s talking about hygiene or manners. But as always, Jesus is after something much deeper—our motives.

The Pharisees had mastered the art of looking holy. They knew how to perform religion, but they missed the point: purity isn’t something you polish—it’s something that flows from a heart aligned with God.

When Jesus says, “give alms,” He’s not talking about spare change. The Greek word eleēmosynē means acts of mercy born from compassion.
He’s saying, “Give from the inside. Let your mercy flow out of a pure heart—and then everything will be clean.”

In other words, holiness isn’t found in the ritual, but in the love behind the action.

Almsgiving in Real Life

We hear “almsgiving” and think donation drives or dropping cash into a collection plate. But it’s so much broader than that.
It’s how we show mercy, empathy, and compassion—especially when no one’s watching.

For me, that looks like volunteering at a local animal shelter. When I’m cleaning kennels or calming a nervous senior dog, it doesn’t look holy. There’s no spotlight, no social media post, no applause. But it’s one of the most sacred parts of my week.

That’s my version of almsgiving—giving mercy to one of God’s creatures from a heart that simply wants to love.
When you love creation, you’re not worshiping it—you’re honoring the Creator.

The Pharisee Energy We All Have

If we’re honest, we all carry a little Pharisee energy.
We want things to look right, to appear in control, to prove we’re “good.” Especially for us ambitious women—perfection can feel like protection.

But Jesus flips that upside down.
He reminds us that clean hands don’t make a clean heart.
A pure heart—the kind that gives from overflow instead of obligation—makes everything you touch holy.

So, instead of asking, “Am I doing enough?”, try asking:

“Am I doing this with love?”
That’s where true purity begins.

How to Practice Almsgiving Today

You don’t need a grand gesture to give alms. You just need an open heart.

Here are simple ways to start:

• Give your time to someone who’s lonely or overwhelmed.
  
  
• Offer forgiveness instead of holding a grudge.
  
  
• Extend kindness to someone who can’t repay you.
  
  
• Care for animals or creation as an act of stewardship.
  
  
• Pray for a purified motive before you give or serve.
  
  

Almsgiving isn’t about looking generous—it’s about being merciful.

A Heart Posture of Purity

Purity isn’t about performance.
It’s a posture—a way of living from an open, surrendered heart.

When your compassion becomes your cleansing, your life becomes your offering.
That’s the kind of holiness Jesus was talking about.

“Clean hands don’t make a clean heart.
But a clean heart makes everything you touch holy.”

💫 Want to Go Deeper?

If you’re craving a daily rhythm that helps you soften your heart and cultivate stillness with God, check out She’s Not Done — a 30-day spiritual activation to help you open your heart, listen, and live in alignment with divine peace.

And if you missed the last episode of Women at the Well, listen to Lazy Girl Healing — it’s all about slowing down enough to actually hear God.