As you go throughout your days, are you pursuing a life of holiness? Are you consciously striving to be the person God created you to be, a person who is consumed by the love of Jesus? This isn’t a new concept, but it has been brought to my mind in fresh ways through recent teachings by Bill Hybels and David Platt. Not only has God placed a unique combination of passions and skills in each of us in order that we might do the work He created us to do, but He has also charged us to conduct ourselves in a manner that is pleasing to Him (Philippians 1:27).
How often are you intentionally seeking to live a life that reflects Jesus? Whether at home, at work, or in private, we must be diligent to obey all His commands and to avoid even the appearance of wrongdoing or evil. Satan is constantly watching for an opportunity to tempt us into failure. We must keep our eyes wide open to the possibilities of attack, and exercise wise judgment in dealing with whatever comes our way.
The goal should be to never live a moment where we do not reflect the love of Christ. We should treat our spouses with the same love and respect that we give to Jesus (Ephesians 5:22-30). We are to respect our parents (Exodus 20:12 ; Colossians 3:20) and make certain that the needs of our families are met (Isaiah 58:6-7; 1 Timothy 5:8). A life of laziness or dishonest gain is not an option for us; we should do work that earns an honest wage (Ephesians 4:28). On the job, we should always give our best effort, working as if we were doing it for Christ Himself (Colossians 3:22-24). For every dollar we receive, a portion should be given first to God (Proverbs 3:9; Malachi 3:10), carrying out His commands to look after those in need (James1:27; Matthew 25:31-46). We should save some money for the future (Proverbs 21:20; Proverbs 6:6-8), but never be a greedy hoarder (Proverbs 28:22; Ephesians 5:5; Luke 12:15-21). Every word we speak should be kind and uplifting, never coarse or rude (Ephesians 4:29). How does your life compare to this picture?
Everything we discussed above concerns our physical state. From a spiritual sense, we should always keep ourselves free from the temptations and sin in this world (James1:27). We must spend our days in constant communication with our God (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). In order to know Him better, it is our duty to study the Scriptures so we might be consumed with who He is (Acts 17:11; Psalms 119:105). A smile should always cross our faces, as we have the light and the hope of Jesus with our hearts (Ephesians 5:8-10; Lamentations 3:25; I Timothy 4:10). We need eyes that will see others as God sees them; no longer should we allow our judgmental biases blind us to the eternal worth of every person we encounter. Humility should mark our demeanor (John 13:14-15), because we have nothing to boast in except for Christ (Galatians 6:14).
Pursuing a life of holiness is not beyond the realm of possibility. As a follower of Jesus, we each have the Spirit of God dwelling within us. We have the power to do anything that is in line with His will and character because He Himself will help us achieve that which we seek (John 14:12-14). See every situation as an opportunity to praise God and to bring glory and honor to Him. Live your life in such a way that people stop and stare because of the light emanating from within you. We are called to be different, and we are commanded to be holy (1 Peter 1:14-16). Jesus said in John 14:15, if we love Him we will keep His commandments; our desire to live His way is a direct reflection of how much we love Him. Let’s pursue a life of holiness in order to bring glory and honor to our awesome Savior, Friend and King – Jesus Christ.
Question: In what ways are you pursuing a life of holiness?