Do You Resemble Christ?
Do you resemble Christ? Would others say you do? Given we are all a “work in progress,” the Apostle Paul speaks strongly in Philippians 2 about being like-minded with Christ, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. (Now would be a good time to pause and reflect about the nature of Christ’s love, spirit and purpose. Go on) Let’s look at 3 aspects of Jesus’ attitude that Paul exhorts us to imitate:
- Jesus didn’t consider his status of equality with God as something people would easily comprehend. Instead, he set aside the status and privilege due him in order to identify and relate to all people and afford them the dignity they deserved no matter their station in life, their education, their appearance or abilities. “Elites” were threatened by this. Regular folks were drawn to him.
- Jesus lived with noticeable humility as a servant of his Father as well as serving the physical and spiritual needs of others. His resource and direction was from his Father, and his heart was continually focused on pleasing Him. Great sacrifice was evident in the course of Jesus’ life, continually putting other’s needs ahead of his while understanding his mission was to love people, reconcile them to the Father and be a physical representation of God in nature and practice. In our lives of relative plenty and the tendency to be self-absorbed, are we considering the rich opportunities God provides around us to impact His kingdom through our presence, and, are we responding as Jesus would?
- Jesus was obedient even to the point of death. He was that focused on accomplishing that to which he was called. (Don’t panic. Your physical death is not required) I wonder sometimes if we are confused about the marching orders God has for each of us. More troubling than that, are we unaware that we were called by God to God for the same purpose Jesus was . . . to carry God’s message of reconciliation to those far from God. Friends, this is the game plan: As Jesus mirrored God’s nature and set out to demonstrate God’s love for mankind, so too we are called to represent Jesus in this sacred calling.
To be effective in these things, we must break through our fears and social bubbles, and interact with the world and people God loves desperately. Can you? Think About It.