When I talk to Christians about what they do with their lives, a common theme arises.  They major on talking about their overt Christian ministry, and then relegate the rest of their lives to an uncomfortable or at least “lesser” reality that is, at best, a, “well, I have to do it even if it’s not ministry.”

I have nothing against preaching the gospel, serving in soup kitchens, teaching Sunday school, working as missionaries, and so on and so forth.  If it’s what God has called you to do, then it’s the best ministry you can be doing right now.  But somehow, the church has put together a list of activities that are “holy,” and everything else takes second place as “secular.”

Much of this is perpetuated by ministers (and this is not a rant against pastors; keep reading).  These ministers of the Gospel are called by God to serve in full-time ministry in capacities like preaching, teaching, encouraging, sharing the gospel, etc.  It’s their calling in life.  But because they have a platform, they can perpetuate the idea that their calling is the best (or in some cases, only) calling that God gives to His children.

Full-time church-centered ministry is not the only calling given to children of God.  In fact, He calls His people to go into all parts of society, industries, etc.  You’ve probably heard that before: After all, if everyone was in full-time ministry, who would be ministering to the “heathens” in huge companies?

I’d like to take the thought a little bit further.  What if every part of your life – from the coffee you make in the morning to your commute to work to your conversation about technical details with your boss to taking the kids to the park in the evening – what if every single part of your day was holy?  If discussing services with a client is just as holy as kneeling in worship in church on Sunday?  If washing the dishes after supper is just as holy as giving clothing to the needy?  If mowing the lawn was holy, just because God is with you and in you as you’re driving the tractor in circles?

How would you see your life if you thought of every action – every breath – as holy?  Paul told believers in Ephesians 4, “I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.  Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love” (vv. 1-2).  We are God’s holy people (1 Peter 2:9), and as such, everything we do has the potential to be holy – if only we can see it that way.  Seeing our lives as holy, from the mundane to the exceptional, allows us to live worthy of the calling of Christ instead of spending much of our days doing “secular” work.

Some years ago, I ran across a great song called, “Find the Glory There.”  The woman singing had discovered that, “Every breath is sacred, and every task a prayer.  I embrace the smallest place, and find the glory there.”*  There’s glory and the holy in what she would call, “the altar of the commonplace.”

Try it out; see what happens when you view your life as holy unto the Lord.  See what happens when you realize that every word you say and every breath you breath is filled with God because He is inside of you.  See what happens when “ministry” isn’t relegated to church or a list of activates but becomes your life – because it’s all holy.

*Pam Mark Hall, “Find the Glory There.”