I was busy moving boxes and furniture, when I heard a voice from behind say, “Daddy, there is a hole in your pants.” I answered, “Yes, they are my holey pants. . . they are set apart for work. . . just like you and I are holy, set apart for God’s work.”
Even if I was to sew them up so that they were no longer holey, in a sense, they would still be holy. They are set apart from my other pants for a particular purpose. I do not intend to wear those pants just anywhere or even for any work.
This is what it means to live holy lives. We strive for righteousness because of the one we serve, and service to Him is our purpose. 1 Peter 1:15 says “as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct.” In every aspect of our lives we are to strive for holy living; we are to be wholly holy. Romans 12:1 gives us direction with a powerful image. “Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” A sacrifice cannot give itself partly or halfheartedly, a life is given in sacrifice and cannot be returned. In the same way Paul says, give God full possession of your life, this is how to be holy and is the spiritual worship or service He deserves. Ephesians 2:10 says it this way, “we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” My holey pair of pants do not walk wherever they please, they follow my lead, and do the work for which they are made. In all you do strive to be wholly holy.