God gave me a wake up call this morning (quite literally actually) about what it means to be holy…to be set a part. Growing up in church, I always heard people quoting 1 Peter 1:15-16 (which in part is quoting the old Testament {Lev. 20:7}) “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” But for some reason, I don’t think it really hit home until this morning.
This is not just a command to be a nice guy, respect your girlfriend, go to church, love people, give your tithe, and generally be a good example; In fact, it isn’t a command to do ANY of those things! I think that “Be Holy as I am Holy” isn’t about specifically doing (action) anything: it is a heart condition…a challenge to be “set apart”…not just maintaining the status quo but rather breaking that mold and living a life that is leaps and bounds beyond being a “good” Christian or being well respected in the church. And I think this is something that I have (whether consciously or not) failed to strive for in my pursuit of Him.
But now I have no choice. This truth has been laid on my heart and to ignore it would be a slap in His face…I am a little daunted to say the least because I know this will mean changes in my lifestyle, my relationships, and my work. But I have to do this…To do anything else is to not use my time on earth to the greatest effectiveness for the kingdom.