“For I am Adonai who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. Therefore, you should be holy, for I am holy. “This is the Torah of the animal, the bird, every living creature that moves in the waters, and every creature that creeps on the earth, to make a distinction between the unclean and the clean, and between the living thing that may be eaten and the living thing that may not be eaten.””
Leviticus 11:45-47 TLV
Translations are interesting to me. It took 10 English words to translate 1 Hebrew word. The ONE Hebrew word for the entire phrase above is bâdal – make a distinction between clean and unclean – more specifically, between the holy and profane.
While this verse is specifically talking about food and clean versus unclean animals, I think the principle applies to all things: what we eat or drink, what we watch or don’t watch, what we read or don’t read, etc. As I told my children from a very young age, everything we do or say and everything we watch or listen to either honors G-d or it doesn’t. There’s no gray area in holiness.
Years ago I asked a missionary kid who was home on sabbatical with her parents if she was happy to be back in the states. She immediately answered with an emphatically no. I was shocked! When I asked her to explain, she said it was easier to be a believer in the country where they lived because there was a very clear distinction between Believers and non believers. People who had a relationship with G-d lived and acted differently and it was obvious. She could easily identify Christians overseas where in America, she found people too compromised and living in the gray area. She said she hated the hypocrisy. Her story marked me. She had a valid point.
As a follower of and believer in G-d, there should be an obvious, clear distinction in my life. When someone looks at my life or interacts with me, am I mirroring, reflecting, and sounding like the World or am mirroring, reflecting, and sounding like the Kingdom of G-d?
At times I feel like my spiritual senses have become dull rather than distinct. My choices matter – what I put in will flow out. It’s a simple principle. More of Him. Less of me. When there’s more of Him in me, there’s more of Him others will see. May my life and words “bâdal”.
Father – thank You for grace and forgiveness. Thank You for conviction. Turn my heart to You alone. Make my life a distinction for Your glory. You are good. You can be trusted and Your leadership in my life is perfect. Amen.
Daily Reading: Leviticus 11-13