Ezekiel 44:20-24: a reflection

20“‘“They shall not shave their heads, or allow their locks to grow long. They shall only cut off the hair of their heads. 21None of the priests shall drink wine when they enter into the inner court. 22They shall not take for their wives a widow, or her who is put away; but they shall take virgins of the offspring of the house of Israel, or a widow who is the widow of a priest. 23They shall teach my people the difference between the holy and the common, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. 24“‘“In a controversy they shall stand to judge. They shall judge it according to my ordinances. They shall keep my laws and my statutes in all my appointed feasts. They shall make my Sabbaths holy.

Among the charges given to the priests is this: to teach God's people the difference between the holy and the common, and to help them discern between the unclean and the clean. They shall teach my people the difference between the holy and the common, God says, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. Part of the priests' calling was to help the people discern and honor distinctions that mattered to God: between the holy and the common, the set-apart and the ordinary; between the clean and the unclean. These distinctions were not to be blurred or ignored, but discerned and kept, so that what was holy was treated as holy and not merely common. This shows the calling to discern and honor the difference between the holy and the common. Discern and honor the difference between the holy and the common. Do not blur what God has distinguished as holy and ordinary. Treat what is holy as holy, not merely common. Learn to discern between the holy and the common, the clean and the unclean.

Notice what the priests were charged to teach: the difference between the holy and the common, and how to discern between the unclean and the clean. This was an important part of their calling: not merely to perform rituals, but to help the people discern and honor distinctions that mattered to God, so that what was holy, set apart for God, was recognized and treated as holy, and not confused with the common and ordinary; and so that the clean and unclean were rightly distinguished. These distinctions were not to be blurred, ignored, or flattened, but discerned and kept. This holds a lesson worth pondering. There is a real difference between the holy and the common, between what is set apart for God and what is ordinary; and it matters to God that this difference be discerned and honored, not blurred or ignored. It is possible to lose the sense of the holy, to treat what is sacred as merely common, to flatten every distinction until nothing is set apart. But we are called, in a measure, to discern and honor what is holy: to recognize what is set apart for God, to treat holy things as holy and not merely common, to keep a sense of the sacred rather than letting it be blurred into the ordinary. We do well to discern and honor the difference between the holy and the common, treating what is holy as holy rather than blurring the distinction. Discern and honor the difference between the holy and the common. Do not blur or flatten what God has set apart as holy. Treat holy things as holy, keeping a sense of the sacred. Learn to recognize what is set apart for God and honor it as such.

That is worth taking to heart, for there is a real difference between the holy and the common, and we do well to discern and honor it, as the priests were charged to teach. We can lose the sense of the holy, treating what is sacred as merely common and flattening every distinction; but the priests were to teach the difference between the holy and the common. Honor the distinction. Do not blur what God has set apart as holy into the merely common; discern and honor the difference, treating holy things as holy and keeping a sense of the sacred. Discern and honor the difference between the holy and the common, treating what is holy as holy rather than blurring it into the ordinary, as among the charges given to the priests was to teach God's people the difference between the holy and the common and to help them discern between the unclean and the clean; for part of the priests' calling was to help the people discern and honor distinctions that mattered to God, between the holy and the common, the set-apart and the ordinary, and between the clean and the unclean, these distinctions not to be blurred or ignored but discerned and kept so that what was holy was treated as holy and not merely common, which holds a lesson worth pondering, since there is a real difference between the holy and the common, between what is set apart for God and what is ordinary, and it matters to God that this difference be discerned and honored rather than blurred, since it is possible to lose the sense of the holy and treat what is sacred as merely common, flattening every distinction until nothing is set apart, but we are called in a measure to discern and honor what is holy, to recognize what is set apart for God and treat holy things as holy rather than merely common, keeping a sense of the sacred rather than letting it be blurred into the ordinary, so that we do well to discern and honor the difference between the holy and the common.

Lord, among the charges given to the priests is this: to teach your people the difference between the holy and the common, and to help them discern between the unclean and the clean. They shall teach my people the difference between the holy and the common, you say, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. Part of the priests' calling was to help the people discern and honor distinctions that mattered to you: between the holy and the common, the set-apart and the ordinary; between the clean and the unclean. These distinctions were not to be blurred or ignored, but discerned and kept, so that what was holy was treated as holy and not merely common. Show me what the priests were charged to teach: the difference between the holy and the common, and how to discern between the unclean and the clean. This was an important part of their calling: not merely to perform rituals, but to help the people discern and honor distinctions that mattered to you, so that what was holy, set apart for you, was recognized and treated as holy, and not confused with the common and ordinary. These distinctions were not to be blurred, ignored, or flattened, but discerned and kept. This holds a lesson worth pondering. There is a real difference between the holy and the common, between what is set apart for you and what is ordinary; and it matters to you that this difference be discerned and honored, not blurred or ignored. It is possible to lose the sense of the holy, to treat what is sacred as merely common, to flatten every distinction until nothing is set apart. But I am called, in a measure, to discern and honor what is holy: to recognize what is set apart for you, to treat holy things as holy and not merely common. Take that to my heart. Keep me from losing the sense of the holy or blurring what you have set apart into the merely common; help me discern and honor the difference, Lord, between the holy and the common, treating holy things as holy and keeping a sense of the sacred, recognizing what is set apart for you and honoring it as such.