Distict Paths

            What does it take to be holy?  Or spiritually pure?  Can we become holy while walking on this Earth?  We will never obtain the state of holiness or spiritual purity while we live this life.  Never.  For centuries, God waited for men and women to reach this state of being.  We failed through sin every time.  Over two thousand years ago, God sent Earth His son.  God knew we couldn’t even become pure enough to enter Heaven without some drastic help.  This is the reason Jesus died on the cross, for our sins.  Until we die, we will not become holy because we sin.

            This seems pretty bleak.  We will not become holy; yet, I have entitled this blog “A Journey to Holiness.”  Each day we make choices that lead us down distinct paths.  Keeping this simple, there are three ways to travel.  There are the obvious choices that lead us to destruction and hell.  I truly believe the majority of people I know don’t fit into this journey, but I know others are out there traveling away from holiness.

            I am fortunate to know a few people on the clear path to holiness.  Last year I met one of my sons’ wrestling coaches.  The introduction was quick in passing.  However, something struck me about this young man.  The genuine smile and warm handshake demonstrated a peace that flowed from him.  Seeing him as a wrestling coach just didn’t seem to fit.  Earlier this month, he introduced himself to me as the minister who had been invited to lead the celebration in opening and closing prayer.  This fit.  He is a man walking the journey to holiness with the light radiating through him.

            The middle path holds the most people.  We work day in and day out trying to make the right choices, slipping and sliding along the way.  Some of us attend church; others just can’t seem to make it to services but believe in God.  Still others aren’t sure what to believe.  I want to leave this path and jump up to the other path.  I want the light of Christ to shine brightly in me.

            To accomplish this, I need to pray and love more.  I need to continuously thank God for my many blessings.  I need to sin less.  Each night when I turn off my lamp, I will evaluate my day starting with thanksgiving (I am thankful the stomach flu has left my home) and ending with an examination of my conscious with both seeing the sin (I harshly judged a young man) and purity (for the first time, I prayed while doing dishes).

            Which path are you traveling on?  How can journey closer to holiness?  Blessings to you all.