Seems to me that one of the most self-defeating ways to try and be “holy” is to make it our purpose to be right about everything and wrong about (and in) nothing.
I say that after reviewing some seemingly obscure details, and a foundational concept of the whole Bible, from the record of Leviticus— the third book of Moses. From the 27th chapter (i.e. v 9-21) Moses explains how to make an animal, house, or piece of real estate “holy.”
Admittedly, this one passage doesn’t tell us everything we need to know about an idea that many of us both love and hate/understand and misunderstand. But it does tell us one very important fact. An animal, house, or field could be made “holy” by giving it to the LORD for the LORD’s use.
The idea is that something is “holy” if it is “set apart” for the LORD’s purposes.
My guess is that those of us who want to be followers of Christ would be far more “holy” (in a way that doesn’t sound “self-righteous” or “practically useless”) if we were preoccupied with being known for doing good– than known for being right.
Am afraid that if I go further at this point—I’ll kill the discussion. So let me stop here and ask you to consider with me the purposes for which our God (1) sets us apart in Christ, and then (2) invites us to follow suite…
PS Took the pics the other night on a walk. Am thinking as I post this that they illustrate two different kinds of “holiness”– and that one of them needs to be our priority… (except that after some further thought… whoops, now that I think of it, both the Bumble Bee and the “going to seed/weed/flower” are actively carrying out their Creator’s purpose…)