cows are not Holy

I like to think I'm mellowing as I age, and in some ways, I am. Things don't agitate me as much as they did when I was younger and my feathers aren't as easily ruffled. Sometimes I look inside and I actually think, (with a contented sigh) ahhh, you are finally softening...you are becoming a Jane Bennet sort of person; someone who is soft, gentle, sweet, quiet, feminine....

But then? Then something comes along that ruffles not only my feathers but my heart and soul as well and Jane disappears. Completely.

Take the other night for example. Our house was full of people; we were relaxed, laughing, teasing each other and talking about anything and everything. Suddenly someone in the room started to blurt out: "Holy C....!"

When I heard, that something inside me snapped. I'm sorry if I upset you by typing a not-so-nice word here but crap is not holy. Cows are not holy. Mackerel are not holy. It deeply offends me and hurts my heart when I hear the word "holy" used in connection with those words- I let that speaker know it and, unfortunately, I was not quiet or sweet or gentle about it.

There is only one Being who is Holy and I don't think describing cows, fish, or bodily functions with the same word the bible uses to describe Him pleases His heart.

I love the way Webster's 1828 dictionary defines Holy:

HO'LY, a.

1. Properly, whole, entire or perfect, in a moral sense. Hence, pure in heart, temper or dispositions; free from sin and sinful affections. Applied to the Supreme Being, holy signifies perfectly pure, immaculate and complete in moral character;

Have we as Christians become so corrupt, so cold, so lethargic, that we are willing to ignore the power of that word and link it to cows?? To crap? To fish?

Have we lost the sense of who God is? His purity? His perfection? His righteousness? Do we not care that He died a horrible, horrible death to make us Holy as well? Because He loves us?

He is Holy and He wants us Holy. It seems to me, when we take the word Holy lightly and use it to describe anything other than God, we are practically slapping Jesus in the face. We're telling Him His life on earth, His horrendous death and His endless love for us are insignificant.

He is so Holy that for all, all, all of eternity it is going to be broadcast day and night for forever:

Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying: " 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,' who was, and is, and is to come."

Revelation 4:8