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One of the big news stories this week has been the declaration of Mother Teresa as a saint by the Catholic Church. There is absolutely no denying the fact that she has changed the world by devoting her life to helping the poor in India. Her selflessness and service to the least fortunate among us sets a great example for all of us and she deserves to be honored.
What some fail to realize though is that in God's eyes, if we have received Jesus as our Savior, we are also saints! The Greek word for saint, hagios, means "set apart, sanctify, consecrated to God." Numerous times in his letter to the churches, the Apostle Paul calls believers saints. Sainthood is not something we attain through our good deeds or the way we live. It is simply our position before God. We are "saints by calling." (Romans 1:7; I Corinthians 1:2)
Needless to say, we don't need to walk around calling each other saints. But we do need to be consciously aware as we walk through this life that we have been called out and set apart to be different. I Peter 2:9 (NASB) says, "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." The King James Version of this verse says we are a "peculiar people." That seems to be a growing reality in our world as so many are turning from God and the truth of His Word. We appear strange to some people.
We have been set apart to a holy calling. God has a purpose for us and a destiny for us to fulfill. I pray we take this seriously and make the decision to be a holy and set apart people who "show others the goodness of God" (I Peter 2:9 NLT) and "tell the night-and day difference He made for you - from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted." (I Peter 2:9 MSG)
We may not have the same influence as Mother Teresa, but God has given each of us a realm of influence. May we walk worthy of the calling with which we have been called which is saints and set-apart ones. As we do, we will reflect the fact that we belong to Jesus and others will be drawn to Him.