Compton The title, "How to be Really Holy and Wholly Real" on the devotional in a recent Presbytery Newsletter caught my attention. It seems that some people try so hard to be "Holy" that they cease being real and approachable. And some people want so earnestly to be real that they cease trying to be Holy. Even though scripture indicates that it is possible to be really holy and wholly real, I find it a path that I often step off. Being holy is, by definition, setting one's self apart for God.

In the end of Romans 5 and beginning of Romans 6, Paul is telling about people who realize that Jesus' gift of forgiveness is abundant enough to overcome all of the sin in their lives. Their response to this reality is to sin even more abundantly to show how that Jesus' forgiveness is even more abundant. Paul uses very strong language to let them know that, as baptized children of God, they can not do this. When they were baptized, their old sinful nature died and they have been set free. Paul tells them that a new creation that is holy was resurrected from their baptism, and that they should never try to resurrect their old sinful life or sell themselves back into slavery to sin.

One of the realities for my life, after my month in the hospital last fall, was that my body no longer handles sugar and carbohydrates like it once did. I am struggling to learn what it means to live with a diabetic diet. I know that many of you have mastered such diets, and this may seem trivial to you, but I am struggling to know what to eat and what not to eat. Sometimes I am quite proud of myself because I have found items that are on my diet and my blood sugar level is very good. Then I go to a meeting and beautiful, delicious looking ice cream and cookies or plump, glazed, aromatic sweet rolls and I give in and eat some. My friends tell me that a little won't hurt me. Oh, I would never eat a whole donut or dish of ice cream like I used to do, but everybody else is enjoying these items, why can't I? Then I am frustrated because I have lost my focus and have given into my temptations, and my blood sugar level creates a dangerous environment for my body.

Holiness in my life is much the same. As long as I keep my focus on the one, Jesus, who made me holy in the first place and gave me abundant love to share with others, the environment of reality of my life is healthy. When I am tempted by my old sinful nature and lose focus, my environment becomes very toxic even if someone says "that's just reality".

Jesus suffered that you and I could live holy, healthy lives and that we would have the power to share that reality with others. I don't want to lose my focus. Do you?

Chuck Compton is pastor of Flora Presbyterian Church.