The Call to Everyday Holiness

Date: Sunday, February 15, 2026

Our time in Leviticus is brief. This is the last chapter for this year, and it will sound familiar. Leviticus 19 is often called the “Holiness Code” by biblical scholars. It takes the abstract concept of holiness from the mountaintop and drags it into the marketplace, the kitchen, the courtroom, and even the living room. “Be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.” This isn’t a call to be religious; it’s a call to be different. To be “holy” is to be set apart, unique. Holiness here looks like leaving the corners of your field for the poor, paying your workers on time, not gossiping, and loving your neighbor as yourself. Who is my neighbor? Great question! Jesus answered it (Luke 10:25–37).

This is the continuing human narrative of Scripture in action, which points to Jesus: holiness is social. It’s not just how you pray; it’s how you treat the immigrant, the outcast, and the elderly.

Theologically, this passage shatters the sacred-secular divide. There is no part of your life that is neutral ground. Everything, from the way you farm to the way you judge, is an opportunity to radiate the character of God that is in you. The raw truth is that we’d often rather do a ritual in church than deal fairly with a difficult co-worker. But Leviticus 19 says the latter is what makes us holy.

Psalm 39 reminds us of the fleeting nature of life. If our time is short, then how we treat others in the ordinary is the only thing that truly lasts. Jesus famously quoted verse 18 (Leviticus 19:18) as the second-half of the greatest commandment. To be holy is to live a life that makes people ask questions about the God you serve because your ethics are so radically different from the world’s “me-first” default.

Devotional Prompts:

Which ordinary instruction in Leviticus 19 feels most relevant to your current daily routine?
How does the command to “love your neighbor as yourself” change when you realize it’s rooted in the command to be holy?
In what ways do we create a sacred-secular divide in our lives, and how does this chapter challenge that?
Psalm 39 speaks of the “vanity” of human life. How does the call to holiness provide meaning to our temporary existence?

Prayer: God of the Ordinary, who dwells in the details of our days: teach us what it means to be holy in our work, our relationships, and our rest. Let our love for our neighbor be a reflection of Your love for us. May our lives be a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to You. Amen.