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Leviticus 19:1-2, The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: 'Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.'"

This chapter includes a list of various laws that illustrate a lifestyle of holiness.  These are laws that demonstrate that being holy isn't simply about how we interact with God but it is most seen in how we live our lives in community.  Holiness indicates separation; the Israelites were to be separate and behave differently from the cultures around them. While holiness was often seen as religious piety, how they obeyed and worshiped God, it is clear from this chapter that God also saw holiness as being lived out in how people cared for one another.  This valuing of human life separated the Israelites from the people around them. 

As Christ-followers, we often think that holiness is something that was required of God's people long ago.  But living a life characterized by holiness is still an important attribute of God's people.  In Romans 12, the apostle Paul urges us to offer our whole selves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God.  In I Thessalonians 4, Paul tells the church in Thessalonica to live holy lives.  I Peter 1 says to be holy is all we do.  What are we to make of this?  How does this connect to the Old Testament passage we just read?

As previously mentioned, God was forming a holy nation, a people that behaved and looked different from the pagan nations surrounding them.  In the same way, God calls us to behave and look different from the people around us.  If we are blending so well into the culture around us that people don't know we belong to Jesus, then we've got a huge problem!  I want to be clear, as Jesus-followers, we aren't supposed to separate ourselves from the world.  We need to be in the world to shine the light of Jesus, to be in the world but not of it.  We are to seek a life that reflects the holiness of Jesus Christ; to live with integrity and Godly values, to demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit, to love and care about others. These things will naturally separate us from our surrounding culture and people will take notice. 

Let's pray...Lord, holiness is what I long for.  Help me grow in holiness.  More of you, less of me.  In Jesus' Name, Amen.