But as the One Who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all your conduct and manner of living. For it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy. – 1 Peter 1:15-16, Amplified Bible (AMP)

The term “black sheep” means “someone who does not fit in with the rest of a group and is often considered to be a troublemaker or an embarrassment.” When I hear the term “black sheep” used, I usually hear it used to refer to the “black sheep of the family.” Some families have those individuals that just don’t fit in, and they are considered embarrassments because they act in a way that hurts, rather than helps, the reputation the family wants to portray to the community.

God has a reputation that He wants to portray to the world community, and that reputation is one of holiness. As members of His family, we have an obligation to uphold the family name. This is why, as 1 Peter 1:15-16 tells us, we have a duty to pursue holiness in every aspect of our lives. All of our conduct, all of our manner of living, and all of our conversation is to exude holiness, and nothing else. Of course, this is easier said than done because our sin nature constantly battles to drag us down into the gutter. But, God is able to energize us and create in us a desire to submit to holiness rather than to sin, and if we ask Him in constant prayer to do so, He will.

The key to actually succeeding in this monumental task is contained in the phrase, “if we ask Him in constant prayer to do so.” When we pray, we are in the very presence of God. It is pretty hard to sin at the same time we are in God’s presence, which means that as soon as we detect temptation dragging us down, we should immediately pray for deliverance from the temptation. If we delay praying, trying instead to hold off the temptation in our power, it will only be a matter of time – sometimes mere moments – before we lose the battle.

Want to uphold the family name? Be holy. To be holy, pray without ceasing. It is easier said than done, but it can be done, if we care enough about the family name to do so.