boomrethink

In a previous post, I compared holiness to a plain looking high school girl. She’s nice but not someone you would consider as your first pick for prom date.

Why is this? Why is Christian holiness a wallflower?

Holiness is where believers make the choice to set themselves apart from a common life in order to live a Spirit-powered life for God. Using the term “Common Life,” I mean a life that runs on auto-pilot with little regard for God. Such a life scratches every itch it feels, plays out every whim that comes to mind and usually places the individual’s pleasure and promotion as the primary task in life.

Christian holiness stands as the wallflower at the dance. She whispers that to dance with her is to find life. Real life.

• She points to people who have hurt us and tells us to forgive.
• She gives us a towel and basin of water and tells us to wash feet.
• She shows us our money and instructs us to give to others.
• She displays the intoxicants of this world (pleasure, power, privilege) and cautions us that such things cannot satisfy the soul.

It is easy and “common” to ignore this plain looking girl who is bidding me to do things that are contrary to my liking and my nature.

Ah, but this is where faith and the Holy Spirit come in.

It has been said that “The Christian life isn’t difficult; it is impossible.” Indeed without faith and the indwelling Spirit, dancing with the wallflower is pretense and presumption.

Jesus often likened Heaven to a banquet or a great party. I am sure there will be party music in Heaven. If I dance well in Heaven, I shall have a wallflower named Holiness to thank.

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Ted Grider writes boomRethink.com. For more information on boomRethink, visit our About page.  *****Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission.  However, some links may be placed by WordPress of which I have no control and receive no compensation. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

In High School, she was the plain looking girl. A nice person but not the physical knockout that us high school boys dreamed of dating. Yet something happened between graduation and our five year reunion.

At the reunion I saw her. In fact, every guy saw her. Every jaw dropped as we were stunned by the transformation. What was plain had changed into stunning. I knew what every guy in that room was thinking: If I had only known in high school what I know now.

Although that reunion was years ago, I’ve thought about it often. The incident has served as a lesson of how often I dismiss something as “ordinary” simply by its appearance. Even as a Christian, I have dismissed something as ordinary, when in fact it might be something of great beauty.

God’s call for Christians to embrace holiness is something I have viewed at times as an ordinary lifestyle that I really did not have to concern myself with. However, holiness is a constant drumbeat for God’s people. (Hebrews 12:14 “Without holiness no one will see the Lord.”)  Holiness (being called-out and set-apart) goes back to Genesis with Abraham, through the Mosaic law, into the prophets and in the teaching of Jesus. Did I get numb to holiness by hearing it so often that it turned into elevator music?

Simply put: Holiness is when something is set apart from the common to be used for a special, God-honoring purpose. In North America we often “sell Jesus” to others as a rabbit’s foot: Receive Jesus as an add-on to your life. Or we make the other mistake and promote Jesus along with perfectionism (no smoking, no drinking, no dancing, no card playing, no jewelry wearing, no, no no.).

Yet a set-apart life is neither an optional add-on nor is it rule-keeping perfectionism.

However, I’ve got a nagging feeling that holiness might just be that plain-looking girl I’m sitting next to in Senior English. I’m not excited about her because I don’t realize she is the object of beauty I’ve always wanted. My gut tells me that if I don’t ask her to the prom, she will not dance with me at the reunion.

There is nothing ordinary about the un-ordinary life God is calling you and me to. Don’t be fooled. What your heart desires may be right next to you.

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Click here to View all of boomRethink posts.

Ted Grider writes boomRethink.com. For more information on boomRethink, visit our About page.  *****Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission.  However, some links may be placed by WordPress of which I have no control and receive no compensation. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”