Last night, I made crawfish etouffee for my son, who is home for a few days from college. The secret to a good etouffee – or gumbo for that matter- is the roux. I always make my roux in a black iron skillet that belonged to my husband’s grandmother. Nothing sticks to its well-seasoned surface.
Decades of proper care created this perfect, non-stick skillet. Because the surface is clean and protected, you can cook anything – even eggs – without fear that the food will stick. It’s versatile; you can use it on the stove top or in the oven. It will last more than one lifetime if the seasoning is maintained. Cooking with this kind of non-stick cookware usually results in praise for the food and the cook. (Check out this post for more about seasoning and caring for cast iron.)
Our lives should be like that seasoned skillet. Smooth, slick, and clean. When we’re “seasoned,” nothing sticks. Our lives should be so holy, that even if someone wrongly accused us of sinful behavior, no one that knows us would believe it. Peter put it this way:
Dear brothers and sisters, you are foreigners and aliens here. So I warn you to keep away from evil desires because they fight against your very souls. Be careful how you live among your unbelieving neighbors. Even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will believe and give honor to God when He comes to judge the world. 1 Peter 2:11-12, NLT
Holiness is vital in the lives of believers. Holiness is for our good and God’s glory. First, purposefully striving to turn away from “evil desires” frees us from bondage to sin and protects us from its consequences. And more importantly, holiness points the world to Jesus and brings glory to God.
Not sure what a holy life looks like? You can get a really good, practical picture by reading chapters 4, 5, and 6 of Ephesians. Also, if you’re serious about holiness, I’d be honored if you’d take a look at my new Bible study, Embraced by Holiness.
This 6-week study deals with questions like these:
- Why do I need to be holy?
- What is “holiness?”
- What does a holy life look like?
- Is holiness worth it?
- Is holiness really possible and how?
Do you purposefully strive to live a holy life? If not, why not? Have you had misconceptions about holiness?
Titus Bible Study
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