Holy and Profane

They are to teach my people the difference between the holy and the common and show them how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean. ⏤ Ezekiel 44:23

We have been conditioned to view things as either good or bad, right or wrong. But God's categories are holy and profane, sacred and common. Things are either set apart to him, or they’re not. What is holy is always good, because God himself is good. What is sacred is always right, because God is righteous. When I look at my own life—people, places, and things—are they holy or profane? And what about the deepest parts of me?

Fictionalized

(Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.) ⏤ Numbers 12:3

“Let my people go!” My impression of Moses—no doubt shaped by movies and books—is one of boldness and confidence. But this is the same Moses who said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else” (Exodus 4:13). What Moses accomplished was not done in his own strength. Modern storytellers often fictionalize the story, downplaying or omitting God’s involvement. I want to be more careful: to see God’s work done through the weak things, the foolish things, and the humble things.

Losing All Influence

The American government has been cutting funding in several areas. These are choices that come with both savings and costs. One cost is a loss of influence. Defunded programs that survive will be free of government pressure. It's true of the Church, too. When we cut ourselves off from the world, we lose influence.

Bakers influence dough by adding yeast. It's a choice: hardtack or soft sandwich bread. Significantly, Jesus chose this as an instructive metaphor for how his kingdom spreads. One caveat: God's pressure is love, not mammon.