There is something we have forgotten. We have lost it in the hustle and bustle, in the stress, in the many contacts with the world, in the increasing thoughtlessness around us, the superficiality, the progressive abandonment of principles. Therefore, let us be still for a moment, let us stand still for a brief moment. It is only a short sentence, but since it comes from the mouth of God, it is worth hearing, understanding, remembering, and practicing: “And you shall be holy men to Me.”

Underline the word “Me”; for this is the essence of holiness, to be there for God, to live a life pleasing to Him, to make His will the binding guideline. This includes turning away from evil, separation from it. How could it be otherwise? And yet holiness emphasizes turning to God as the positive side. This gives our lives as believers a completely new direction and a new focus: no longer the self and its desires, but God and His interests. This will inevitably lead to certain differences between us and some of our fellow citizens, namely to a lack of understanding, rejection, and perhaps even persecution.

That is why God is looking for “men.” These are those among His people, whether male or female, who “act like men” (1 Cor. 16:13 nasb), who are strong and not intimidated, who know the will of God for their lives as well as the power from on high, and who go through each day with this awareness: “And you shall be holy men to Me!”