Nearly 8 months ago, Melody and I welcomed Hudson Richard Nicholson into our lives. He has been an incredible amount of fun. It is so much fun to think about how he will be in the future. Imagining taking him hunting, fishing, and golfing makes me excited about our future and all of the joy we will experience together. Thinking about the future also makes me think a lot about my responsibility as a dad and what Hudson needs most from me as his father. Over the past few months, there has been one thing God continually reminds me of: the most important thing Hudson needs from me is for me to be holy. 

God has used fatherhood to remind me that not only do I need holiness, but my entire purpose is holiness. Holiness needs to be the purpose of my life and not just a goal as a father. Holiness is the purpose for which we were called and saved. Paul reminds us of this in Ephesians 1:4, “even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.” Peter also touches on this same calling in 1 Peter 1: 15-16, “but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’”

This calling upon our lives isn’t just essential to our children and spouses, but to every relationship we have. The reality is that the most important thing we can do for every person we have a relationship with is to passionately pursue greater obedience and holiness. Without this commitment to living a life of holy obedience we will never faithfully make disciples and foster a credible gospel community. 

May God bless us all as we commit to pursuing holiness as the purpose of our life. 

For more on pursuing holiness, check out this article by Joe Carter on The Gospel Coalition.