worthy of the calling.

 {art by Homegrown Hospitality}

So Ephesians is rocking my world right now. Here's why:

All throughout Scripture, specifically the New Testament, Christ’s followers are called to be set apart, to be holy as He is holy.

We as His people have made that a pretty simple task. We’ve turned that calling into a list of do nots, and we think that if we can just obey those, if we can just follow those, then we’re good to go. That’s enough. We are good enough. 

Don’t curse.

Don’t drink.
 
Don’t have sex before you’re married.

Don’t lie.

Don’t cheat.

Don’t steal.

Don’t commit adultery.

Don’t miss church on Sunday.

What we forget is that we will never be good enough. No amount of curse-less speech or purity promises will make us good enough for our Savior. It’s by grace we’ve been saved, and this list? This list just helps us as we try to live a life worthy of our calling.

Unfortunately, I think we have a tendency to stop right there. We follow this list, and we think that’s enough to make us different. 

But what if instead of just…
 
…   cursing less, we praised more?

…   avoiding excessive amounts of alcohol, we gathered around our tables with the hard-to-love?

…   waiting to have sex, we set higher standards for dating and human relationships?

…   telling the truth, we stopped gossiping in Bible class and talking about people we don’t really know?

…   being honest in the way we conduct business, we helped others achieve their goals?

…   not stealing, we became content with our homes and our clothes and what we could actually afford?

…   not committing adultery, we entrusted our marriages to God and lived joy-filled existences with our spouses?

…   going to church every Sunday, we worshipped in our cars, at our jobs, in our relationships, in the every day living of our lives?

I think that list of do nots is a starting point. I think God calls us to avoid certain things, to guard our speech and our hearts and our minds. But I think this holiness business is far more than that list.

Sure, people might notice that my daily language is different from theirs. They may even respect it. But I think what they’ll be even more in awe of is a life wholly devoted to service, to contentment, to praise. Instead of stopping at that one, tiny list, why not go above and beyond?

God’s standard for us is greater than a list of do nots.

His desire for us is more than that.

That list can act as a starting point, perhaps useful for baby believers or beginners in the faith.

But a truly set apart and holy life isn’t only a list of do nots.

It’s a list of dos. It’s a call to love, joy, peace, patience...  The hard things, but the good things.

"I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."

- Ephesians 4:1-3