In the previous blog post, I asked “What size is Holy?”
Truthfully, it was a trick question. I have allowed the question to linger there and thought I would offer some thoughts about it now.
Jesus attributes his holiness to me. He who knew no sin became sin for me so that in him, I might become the righteousness of God. I have been attributed with his righteousness, his holiness. Ephesians 1 says that he chose me before the foundation of the earth to be holy and blameless in his sight. Holiness is something God attributes to me because of Jesus.
Yet, holiness is a choice, too, as I say no to the flesh and yes to the Spirit, one moment at a time, one choice at at time. I live as one set apart for him.
But no…there is no size that, by definition, is holy.
So often we judge people by externals! We think the pastor who is speaking isn’t quite “godly enough” because he has a “weight problem.” Not sure we have any business judging his size as a “weight problem” and I am positive we can’t judge him as lacking in “godliness” because of his size. But do we do this?
I know that many of us who have been involved in Christian “diet” or weight programs, connect our size with our walks with God. We may not do it on purpose, but we do it, sure enough. We somehow think that if we are losing weight or at our “goal weight” we are “walking with the Lord” and if we are gaining or staying the same that we are “in sin” or something else. This may not be true. Only our hearts and the Holy Spirit can testify to whether this is true or not. Our size can’t. Our shape can’t.
While it is true that, for most people, when we listen to the Lord and eat according to the physical cues of hunger and satisfaction, we will arrive at a size that the Lord chooses, it may not be a size or shape that we have in our heads. It is, in fact, incidental.
God doesn’t call us to be thin. He calls us to be his.
This means, giving myself clear away to him in my choices. This is living that “set apart” life for God that is holiness at it’s core. Let’s stop judging ourselves (and others) and stop attributing to God attitudes about our *size* that he doesn’t have!
It was a “trick question.” 🙂 Glad you girls saw through that.
