Saturday October 7, 2023

1 Peter 1:15-16
As He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

People are often surprised when they meet a genuine, down-to-earth Christian, someone they can relate to. They don’t expect someone with such high morals to be so real and likable. This perception is no doubt the result of a gross misinterpretation of the Christian’s call to holiness, and it is why we must change our perspective on how to live according to Jesus.

Christ never commanded us to be “holier than thou,” which by definition means “excessively or hypocritically pious.” On the contrary, when He tells us to “be holy, for I am holy,” He is referring to His ability to connect with sinners and yet keep His character and integrity intact.

That is the key to being effective witnesses, and when we learn to accept people where they are while standing firm in our convictions, they will be drawn to what it is that makes the difference in our lives.

Few things are more infectious than a godly lifestyle. The people you rub shoulders
with every day need that kind of challenge. Not prudish. Not preachy. Just spot-on
clean living. Honest to goodness, bone-deep, nonhypocritical integrity.
CHARLES SWINDOLL

David Jeremiah, Turning Points with God: 365 Daily Devotions (Tyndale, 2014)
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.