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by Bishop David Kendall
Imagine an “outbreak of holiness.” Of course, only God is absolutely holy. Still, God calls His people to be holy as well and has taken action to make this possible.
Toward the beginning of our Scripture story, God provided instruction and a system of sacrifice so the people could avoid living just like everyone else — apart from God’s plan of blessing and promise. This suggested that holy living was only a matter of avoidance. Just stay away and don’t touch and, if you do, here’s how to undo the damage.
As our Scripture story unfolds, however, and moves toward the fullness of God’s intent, we see that in Jesus, a Holy God has actually become flesh and taken up residence with fallen, sinful and unholy humanity. In Jesus, the absolutely Holy One has become Resident Alien in the world and has even managed to secure a green card.
Therefore, through His people, through you, the resident alien “goes to work” day in and day out. Through His people — you — holiness inhabits the marketplace.
Imagine it: holiness invading, inhabiting and infecting every place, every process, every relationship and every person. Holiness, as a contagion, adhering to and pervading everything and everyone it touches. Holiness spreading like a disease, or like the cure for whatever disease may be out there.
Imagine the stunning, lovely and incomparable way of Jesus entering into every workplace. Imagine a contagion of kindness, openness, caring and compassion. Imagine deep sorrow over anything that ruins or harms and hilarious joy over everything that helps or honors. Imagine “doing unto others” with co-workers, with employees and employers, and with makers of goods or services and their patrons.
Imagine just one carrier of the holiness virus, assuming that she is the only one but hopelessly infected nonetheless, discovering that a Great Physician has arranged for other carriers to be there. Imagine such contagion going so viral that people and things start to heal.
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Thanks Bishop Dave! What a glorious thought, but even more, a glorious possibility! Could it be that this will happen across the church this coming four years? I pray it will.