“Be holy, for I am holy.” These words are repeatedly spoken throughout the book of Leviticus from God to His people. It seems like such a daunting command. To be holy – that seems completely unachievable. I picture some perfect saint with a halo over his head who spends his entire day kneeling in a church praying.

What does holiness look like in my everyday life?

The Hebrew word for holiness, qodesh, means “apartness, sacredness, or separateness.”

God is holy, set apart from His creation. We too are called to be set apart, separate from the world. 

Clearly this means being pure in our actions. But when I was thinking about what really makes a Christian stand out, a song came to mind. The hymn written in the 1960s by the Catholic priest, Peter Scholtes with the lyrics: “They’ll know we are Christians by our love.” The song is based on John 13:35 which says, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Does my love for those around me set me apart from the world? Does it make me stand out from others around me?

What about when showing love involves inconvenience or sacrifice?

What about when showing love means showing grace when I feel slighted or offended?

What about when showing love is doing something for someone that goes completely unnoticed or unappreciated? 

If I’m honest, my day revolves more around myself than loving others. But in John 13:34 Jesus tells us, “Just as I have loved, you also are to love one another.” Jesus set the ultimate example of being set apart from the world by the love He showed.