Psalm 19:14

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.

Psalm 19:14

Oh, that it would only be so easy. Mike and Jim began gossiping rudely about a fellow coworker who is not pulling his weight on the team project due Friday. “I should just keep my mouth shut,” I say to myself. But before I know it, I have joined in the time-honored tradition of making fun of that coworker to feel included in the group. After all, if it weren’t for that individual, we could have left early on Friday. Surely, God can’t fault me if I know deep down inside that I am right. At least I think I’m right.

When a Christian decides to act like those who don’t know any better, they are placing themselves on dangerous ground. Even the Pharisees, in all their knowledge, still missed the point of the gospel. We are to be set apart from the world in which we live but are needed to interact as lights for God’s truth with all those we encounter. Our sanctification is surely an ongoing and sometimes arduous task. Nonetheless, we are to rise above the temptations to act like the old self and remember that our “old man or old woman” has been crucified and paid for with the blood of Christ. Being made holy or set apart will surely not be without difficulties, but I would wager that in our moment of weakness, we were aware we had a choice to be set apart or go along with the group. Let’s choose holiness even when it doesn’t seem to fit the situation.

God Bless, 

Paul Provencio