What does “holy” mean? In my current working definition, Jesus and the other members of the Trinity are “in a class by Themselves: separate – untouchable.” But as the author of the book I’m reading makes the point, it might be hard to picture the typical halo over some of Jesus’ actions. How did He model holiness in His humanity?
As the time of Jesus’ death approached, He came riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, which symbolized a now-ruling king coming in peace. And yet He cried – wailed – over the fact that His people would not receive the peace He offered. And the whole week leading up to the cross was filled with emotional experiences. Jesus demonstrated that our human emotions are part of our holiness.
Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem symbolized the reign of the new kingdom, one whose conquest would not be outward, but rather soul-deep. The new kingdom comes from a regenerated heart. Holiness comes from the inside and may surprise us with what it looks like outwardly: turning over money tables, eating with sinners, breaking Sabbath norms, saying things that don’t make sense to some, being emotionally upset. These things Jesus did in His holy humanity.
In John 15:5-16 we see that Jesus’ teaching had completed all that was possible without the aid of the Holy Spirit within his followers. The Holy Spirit now lives in us and is completing the teaching and the equipping of the Holy Spirit that combines the characteristics of Father, Son, and Spirit. The Spirit not only picked up where Jesus left off, but He also empowers us to live it out. Through the power of the Spirit working in us, our ordinary emotions can be a part of our holiness.
Truly, Jesus was holy and in a class by Himself, along with the other Members of the Trinity. But because of His human experience, He has made it possible for us to find holiness in some of the most routine and common aspects of our daily lives.
Reflect: Where is holiness showing up in your life today? What are your emotions teaching you about Christ in you? How might that change if you let the Spirit live through you?
Would you like to explore what your everyday life looks like through the lens of holiness? Consider retreating with me to find “The Extra in your Ordinary Life.”