Be Holy … point to God

Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

Hebrews 12:14

“Humanity is like an enormous spider web, so that if you touch it anywhere, you set the whole thing trembling. As we move around this world and as we act with kindness, perhaps, or with indifference, or with hostility, toward the people we meet, we too are setting the great spider web a-tremble. The life that I touch for good or ill will touch another life, and that in turn another, until who knows where the trembling stops or in what far place and time my touch will be felt.”

—Frederick Buechner, Listening to Your Life: Daily Meditations

I get it! Flashback to an enormous web outside the kitchen window at my grandma’s house the summer I was four. When the spider spun in one corner, the web trembled all the way to the other. Our every interaction has a subtle, or significant touch on another.

No wonder Jesus said: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34). And He didn’t stop there. He basically told them that if they loved others as He loved them, their love would point to the Father: “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (13:35).   

How do we love like Jesus did? Living in peace with all men is the place to start; but lots of folks are capable of not rocking the boat under their own steam. Pointing to Jesus takes holiness. It takes getting yourself out of the way: Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand (Philippians 2:4, MSG).

Or how about this: Our Scriptures (Proverbs 25:21-22) tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he’s thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness (Romans 12:20 MSG)?

And always this: Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16)?

The Scripture is chock full of ways to live holy lives, at peace with all men, while the Spirit in you is producing the fruit of holiness in you. It’s that chrisma thing in action!

Nancy P