Set Apart

God is kind. How hard is it for us to think of God as kind? When we think of God as kind does it mean that we do not have to look at ourselves and change our thoughts, behaviors, and attitudes? Do we think of kindness as just God accepting us as we are and never having to look at ourselves because we have been accepted just as we are. I believe that this is true - that we are accepted just as we are - but this is only the first step.

You didn't think, did you, that just by pointing your finger at others you would distract God from seeing all your misdoings and from coming down on you hard? Or did you think that because he's such a nice God, he'd let you off the hook? Better think this one through from the beginning. God is kind, but he's not soft. In kindness he takes us firmly by the hand and leads us into a radical life-change. Romans 2:3-4

God's kindness is just the first step. God uses this first step of kindness, or grace, to lead us into a "radical life-change." We are continuously in the process of being redeemed. We are continually in the process of change to let more and more of the spirit of God that is in us shine out to people that are in darkness. Specifically, we are constantly being challenged to practice unconditional love, kindness, and openness that can only come from changing our inward thoughts and beliefs. When we take this challenge and change inwardly the outside behaviors become different. We see the people and the circumstances of our life differently. Our actions change to meet this new way of thinking and believing. We love, accept, and are kind to those around us. Radical life-change takes place! What I am talking about here is deeper that just changing the music I listen to, or the things I watch on television, or if I stand up for moral behavior. This is radical life change in the sense that we no longer measure our spiritual maturity by those things, but rather by how much we love people, serve people, and are kind to people everyday without ever mentioning the name of God or Jesus. This is true holiness. This takes constant practice and is the hard work of sanctification. Sanctification or in its verb form, sanctify, literally means to set apart for special use or purpose, that is to make holy or sacred. Jesus was God and showed us what it meant to be "set apart." He loved like no other, cared like no other, and was kind like no other.

Can you allow yourself to work on being set apart? Can you see that God's kindness is only the first step? The journey of being set apart just begins there. We begin this journey to be different or set apart in order that we may join others and allow them to see God. This is your special use - to let the image of God be shown so that others will say, "Oh that is what God is like and I want that." If we never take the journey and really understand and know God, how will anyone else?

Namaste'