Leviticus 19:2

The refrain repeats through the book echoing its clear call through the chambers of my mind: “Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.”

Be holy because I am holy, says God. There is no escape, no wiggle room. The call is crystal clear: be holy.

The reason is rooted in the very being and character of God himself. He is holy. And so as those created in his image, we too must be holy. “Holy” can sound sanctimonious, as in holier than thou; or religious in a dusty old way like a word pulled out of time from older days that does not seem to fit or be hip. And yet “holy” will not be so easily dismissed as out of date. It’s timeless.

Rarely found today in media reports or lists of virtues, "holy" refuses to be discounted; it stands up as the central pillar of human character called for by the Creator.

All his laws and commands radiate from this one point: be holy as I am holy. In my best moments, after a swallow or two, I say, I want to be holy, knowing that is what God demands, knowing what God demands is what is best, so I aim to live holy today.