The Leaf Pile

READ: 1 PETER 1:13–2:3

When I was little, I spent countless afternoons with my brother and cousins raking leaves into enormous piles—and then leaping through them! We always had a blast together—until somebody found the ever-dreaded “prize.” We’d be rolling around, tackling each other, diving in and out, getting lost under the colorful crispy blanket. Then everything would stop when one of us yelled, “OH, MAN!” And everyone knew. Someone had found a dog turd, and not just with their eyes. That pile of leaves was immediately abandoned and labeled “ready for pick up.”

Those memories can shed some light on 1 Peter 1:13-25, which reminds us of the hope we have in Christ Jesus. God made a very good world, full of things He invites us to enjoy with Him, like leaf piles! But humans brought sin into the world, and that sin is nastier than dog poop. God saw all our sin, yet instead of throwing His creation away, He kept loving us, and He came in Jesus to make the way for us to be cleaned up. Through dying on the cross and rising from the grave, Jesus provided forgiveness for our sins. Once we’ve put our trust in Jesus, He calls us to live like the new, forgiven people we are—to live holy. And because He has set us free from our “old ways of living” (verse 14), we can!

What does it mean to live holy? Think back to my leaf pile story. The piles we raked were contaminated not only with dog poop, but with sticks, rocks, and other things that would hurt us when we jumped in. Similarly, sometimes when we forget that Jesus has made us new and His holiness lives in us, we rake sinful things into our lives that might not be visible at first. But remember: What we let into our lives might affect us and others later. Thankfully, God calls us to bring our sins to Him so He can get rid of them. Living holy means remembering the hope we have in Christ, relying on Him to forgive us and help us live according to His Word. After all, He is the only One who can purify us from sin and fill our lives with holiness. • Dathan Tenter

• According to 1 Peter 2:1, what are some of the rocks and sticks we rake into our lives? How can these harm us and other people?

• According to 1 Peter 1:22, what kind of life does Jesus call and equip us to live?

• It can be tempting to try to live a holy life by relying on our own strength, but this always fails. Why is Jesus the only one who can produce holiness in us? And why is it important to remember that we’ll continue to struggle with sin until He returns? (2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Ephesians 2:8-10; Philippians 1:6)

But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. 1 Peter 1:15 (NLT)