Last Thursday evening, some ladies from East Hill got together to continue a study on sanctification. We started our study in Leviticus, and ending up talking about all kinds of things. One thing that stuck out to me throughout the study was that it’s so easy for us, as Christians, to be sanctified–set apart–in the big things. We get that Christians shouldn’t commit adultery, murder people, steal anything, participate in fornication. For most of us in the class, though, we concluded that those things aren’t generally temptations. Its pretty easy for us to not do those types of things.

But what about the smallest, most minute areas of our lives? It is easy to apply the idea of sanctification to those areas? Being sanctified is being different from the rest of the world. As members of the church, we are called out from the world. We are separate. We are a peculiar people (1 Pet. 2:9). But here’s the thing: the rest of our world–the majority of the world–they aren’t murderers and adulterers and cheaters and stealers. Sure, there are plenty (and more than we’d like), but the majority of the world isn’t out committing those types of sins. The majority of the world is comprised of ‘good’ people.

Yet last week, a lot of people wanted the Boston bombers to die….

A lot of people were complaining on social media outlets about politics & government & gun laws & everything else…..

A lot of people were living in unhappy marriages…

And a lot of people were being very judgmental…

As Christians, every thought, attitude, and action is to be different. It isn’t just in the big ways…in the “thou shalt not” ways–though it’s most definitely in those ways, too. But we’re supposed to be different–really different–completely different. No, Christians don’t do worldly, unGodly, “big” bad things, but they also don’t hate, complain, bicker, gossip, and judge. Christians aren’t disrespectful to their spouses (in private or public). Christians aren’t ingesting unwholesome media (in private or public). If we want to be truly, wholly sanctified for our God and Father, we must make our entire selves sanctified. We must make every single aspect of our lives different from the world around us. We must set every part of ourselves on the pathway of holiness, not only the “big” compartments.

This week, be different. Don’t just dress differently and talk differently, either. Think differently. React differently. Feel differently. Don’t harbor grudges, act grouchy, or shoot evil eyes at those around you. Sanctify your heart…your life and all of the big and small things will follow.

Let me confess something to you before concluding this: this post is most definitely for me. For wake up on the wrong side of the bed, irritated Emily. For quick-tempered, easily agitated Emily. And maybe you have temptations and tendencies like I do. If so, work this week with me on trying to overcome such temptations, and fully and completely set ourselves apart from the world around us.