Children
are natural imitators. Our youngest great-grandson copies what he sees, and
because his parents are loving and thoughtful, he is doing as they do as well
as doing what they say (well, most of the time; he is only two).
Christians
are to be imitators too. The New Testament tells us to imitate good not evil,
the faith of our leaders, the life of Paul, and to be imitators of God. To do
this, I need to know good from evil, read and understand biblical examples, and
most of all understand what the Lord is really like.
I’ve
known people with a one-sided view of Jesus, mostly the ‘gentle, kind, never
hurt a flea’ side, or the ‘meek, mild, always smileing’ persona. This is what
they hope to imitate. This morning, I read the following verses and thought of
the image it gives, a Jesus that exemplifies much more than those simple
perspectives.
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:1–8)
Jesus
was never selfish. He was never filled with empty pride. He always considered
others more important than Himself, putting their needs above His own. He came
to earth with a mission, but He looked after the needs and interests of others
as He did the will of God. This is the mindset I’m supposed to have and part of
how I should imitate Jesus.
His
motivation goes even deeper. He is God in human flesh (I am not) and yet never
held on to that claim for His own advantage. Instead He became a servant, the
immortal stepping into a mortal body! Even more than that — He obeyed His
Father (and mine) by dying on a cross for sin He did not commit. How am I
supposed to imitate that? Or even that attitude?
The
passage says “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus”
meaning that I have the mind of Christ. His thoughts are in me. No matter who
or what I am, the primary thing is that I am a mere mortal in a mere body that
was created to serve God, no matter what He asks me to do. Death to my own
desires. No pride. No selfishness. The needs of others come first. Think His
thoughts and obey Him. In this way, I will imitate Jesus.
^^^^^^^^^^^
Lord
Jesus, while this is a lofty calling it is also a challenging ambition. I once
thought being like You was a totally lovely thing, a goal that would put me on
a pedestal. This passage and some careful thought turn that notion upside-down.
Being like You goes far deeper. It is humbling, even humiliating in human
terms. Yes, You are now exalted, but for me and in this world, exaltation is
not in the equation. I first must be dedicated to the needs of others, wholly
and totally obedient, willing to die — perhaps to physical death but certainly
putting self to death. Besides that, the transformation will not be complete
until I see Your face . . .
Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2)
Enable me to gaze on You as much as possible,
today and every day — until that glorious day.
Today’s
thankful list . . .
A wonderful time
of prayer with a few friends.
A good workout
with my trainer alongside a goofy soccer team and their trainer.
Laughter.
Grocery shopping
that wasn’t as hard as I expected.
A good news text
message from our daughter.
Sunshine and soft
breezes.
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