Setting my table - a view on Holiness

I have a confession to make. Nine years ago, after my amazing husband decided to take a leap and proposed, we never registered for fine china. There I said it. We never picked out or even looked at china patterns. We never discussed if we'd even ever need it. We simply decided not to register for it. So, I'm a pastor's wife who has no fine china. However, being a mom of three very young boys, it might not be such a bad thing.

Sunday, as the boys and I headed to my parents house, I was mulling over what we had discussed in Sunday school earlier that morning. And of all things, fine china came to mind. I know what you're thinking, what was your lesson about?! To be fair, it was more of a discussion instead of a "lesson". And it was about holiness and our relationship with Christ. (I've found myself doing a lot of listening as of late. Which isn't always a bad thing.)

Two things stood out to me.

1. The definition of holiness - set apart.

2. The statement a very precious, dear lady made. (Impact made, not willing to repeat.)

Our discussion centered around Hebrews 10:10,14.

For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time. For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy. (Hebrews 10:10, 14 NLT)

Here's where the china comes in. Holiness is being set apart for something more than a common use. So all those beautiful, possibly even antique, place settings with the nicely polished silver ware and sparkling crystal is probably not what I'd put on the table when serving up Spaghetti O's for my 2 year old. Why? Need it even be asked. Those items are set apart, if you will, for special use. They are proudly displayed for everyone's viewing pleasure yet they are only accessible to those deemed worthy to eat from them.

As a believer and follower of Jesus Christ, His word tells me I am to be holy because He is holy.

But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:15, 16 NLT)

Maybe I see things all wrong. Maybe my opinion is skewed because of my religious upbringing. Here's how I see holiness.

Holiness is being set apart. Set apart from your old self. Set apart from sin. Set apart from the lures of this enticing world. It is not being set apart from people. We are set apart by and for our God.

Jesus didn't go down to the temple and call to the Chief Priest and the Pharisees to follow Him. Jesus didn't extend the call to those we would've deemed worthy. No, He called those who were willing to follow Him. Jesus set His table for sinners. He reached out to those who were hurting, in need of healing, the humble, the humiliated. He didn't offer them second best, His left-overs. He set His table with the finest of china knowing pieces would end up chipped and broken, crystal shattered and silver ware tarnished. He lavished His grace on all those He came in contact with, whether or not they accepted it. Thing was, those people, the ones Jesus hung with, He met them where they were.

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. (Romans 5:8 NLT)

I'm not saying as Christians we should partake in things that would hinder our witness to others. What I am saying is we have to go to them - the unbelievers, the hurting, the rejected, the humiliated, the addicts, those who are possibly unloved - not with our left overs. And we can't expect them to watch us and eat off our fine china from afar. Doesn't happen that way. Window shopping is still just looking. From afar we may have influence and never make an impact in these peoples lives. So frankly, we have to go to them, where they are...like it or not. Appearances will all one day disappear and all I'll have left is Jesus.

Bottom line, if I did own fine china, I probably would feed my 2 year old Spaghetti O's off of it. My children deserve my best and they will always receive it. What good does a bunch of expensive plates do me sitting on a shelf?

Believers, quit sitting on a shelf! Go, build relationships with people outside your comfort zone. Quit being afraid of being chipped, broken or tarnished. That's just part of it. (And that was mainly for me!)

Holiness isn't pretty. Just look at the cross. However, Jesus is holy, set apart and we are to be like Him. So next time I set my table, I'm going to look for the chips and lines in my dishes. Why? Because when I see them, I know they've served their purpose. Now, have I?