I’m sitting here dripping in sweat. I just completed a 23 mile cycle spin. I walk into the house and I’m not only sweating from the workout but the humidity is at like 92%. My face is melting. In fact, my fingers are so sweaty I’m nervous the sweat is going to get into my keyboard. Yah, that is all happening right now. However, I’m pressing on to make myself better 1% today.
So today I’m reading 1 John and this verse pops up. It’s a pretty obvious verse. I mean, if you’re trying to imitate anybody, you want people to know who you are imitating. There’s nothing worse than to do an impression of someone and nobody can guess it. That would be me for sure. I’m terrible at impressions, accents, whatever it is.
However, in this instance, living a life like Jesus — I have to be good. It’s my job to be good. I don’t mean “job” in the sense I feel obligate but rather “job” in that it’s my daily goal. In my head, I’m thinking, “what would Jesus be doing today? How could I max out my life like Jesus?”
Some days I get it right. Probably most days I get it wrong. Nevertheless, the beat goes on. The goal lives on. I breathe again to live again, to be like Jesus. As I just typed that last sentence, I feel it needs clarification.
One of the reasons I cringe at the thought of “being like Jesus,” is because so many people say it, but actually are NOTHING like Jesus. In fact, they repel more people from Jesus than they attract. Then what they do is blame it on Jesus. That really pisses me off. That right there is why so many people hate church, God and everything in between. They caught a glimpse of some nerd who thought they were being like Jesus when in fact they were just being a nerd on a power trip.
Wow, sorry, trying to get off this tangent here. The point is, Jesus makes us all better. If you really want to follow Jesus and imitate Jesus, you’re life will get better. It has to. You can’t read through the scriptures and then “do” the scriptures and your life not get better.
Imagine loving your enemies, forgiving everyone, being generous to the poor, not having any worry or anxiety, praying for the sick and seeing them recover, attaining incredible wisdom and so much more. Ha! That sounds like a late night TV ad, but it’s not. It’s what the Bible says. Some may believe it, others won’t. It may seem too good to be true. For me, I want too good to be true. I want impossible. I want God to be involved in my life, otherwise, it’s just me. And I just know, there’s more for me.
Wherever you are and whatever you do today, don’t just say your living like Jesus. Check yourself on “why” you are trying to live like Jesus. And, if you’re not, it’s ok, check your ego at the door and move on. Nobody is perfect but we can all be humble.
Wish you all well.
a.
