Holiness has a branding problem.

We have come to associate holiness with a "holier-than-thou" attitude—a cold, distant judgment of others. We imagine someone standing on a pedestal, looking down at the world with disdain.

But that isn't holiness. That is pride.

The Hebrew word for holy is (kadosh) קָדוֹשׁ — “set apart, separate, sacred”. The Greek equivalent is (hagios) ἅγιος — “sacred, different”.

Think of a garment you own that is special. You don’t throw it in the wash with the gym clothes. You separate it. Not because you hate the other clothes, but because you value the special one. It has a different purpose.

Jesus was the epitome of holiness, yet He was called the "friend of sinners." He didn't isolate Himself. He touched the leper, ate with the outcast, and restored the broken. His holiness wasn't a wall; it was a light.

Holiness is simply uncommonness.

“Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” John 17:17

In a world that is terrified, you are peaceful. In a culture that is cynical, you are hopeful. Where others compromise their integrity to fit in, you stand firm because you know your value. You are princely. You are the daughter of a King.

When you are truly set apart, you don't repel people; you make them wonder why you have so much light.

To be holy is to be set apart by God.