To Be Like Jesus

   I was not okay. My family and I had COVID,…and so did most of our friends. To make matters worse, our 16 year-old chihuahua, Belle, was dying. It was a slow and painful death. I was spending all of my strength, trying to keep her comfortable, which meant that I, myself was not getting any rest. I was actively looking for comfort; txting friends, asking for prayer. 

  Late in the day, my friend, Nichole showed up. She was also having a hard time in life, since two of her family members had just passed away. Even so, since she was already immune to COVID, she had spent her day driving from house to house, taking supplies to friends who were sick. 

  That night, she came right into our living room, sat in the middle of all the sick people, and took the time to just visit with us. She took notice of our suffering dog, and made us feel better by saying that it looked like Belle was still enjoying being with us. Then, we asked her to tell us her and her husband’s love story, and she did! 

  It was so refreshing! She managed to be cheery, bright, and at the same time, sympathetic. She brought the sunshine into our home, made us feel that we were not alone, and stopped the flow of my tears. I felt that the Lord had sent her just at the right time! With her selflessness, she had been like Jesus. 

  “Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” - Ephesians 5:1-2 

  There are two ways to view Christianity. There is the self-absorbed way, that says, “What can Jesus do for me?” “What is my eternal reward?” “What does my spiritual growth look like?” Most of us start Christianity this way…focused on the all-important “me.” 

  Lately, I’ve heard the call to a higher way. As Ephesians puts it, “the way of love.” We tend to think that our relationship with God consists of me + Jesus, and that’s it! In John 21, Jesus asks Peter three times, “Do you love me?” and when Peter says yes, Jesus answers, “Feed my sheep.” So then my relationship with God consists of me + Jesus + the people in the world around me. I’m called to pour myself out. To give myself up for others. To be like Jesus. 

  As Christians grow, we see them begin to think in a Christ-like way. It becomes, “What can I do for Jesus?” “How can I help others, who are struggling?” “Can I give more than I am giving now?” “Can I do any more than I’m doing now?” 

  It can be just a simple thing, like giving someone a cup of cold water (Mat. 10:42). The most demeaning, the dirtiest tasks can be an act of love to the Lord, and to our brothers and sisters. After all, Jesus washed feet! (John 13:14) 

  Or often, people just need you to listen to them. Listen, and if you can, provide comfort. Paul says, that we’ve been distressed and comforted, so that we can comfort others. (2 Corinthians 1:3-7) Wow! Is it worth it to you, to suffer so that you can comfort others? What if all your sicknesses have been so that you can comfort sick people? What if you’re still single, so that you can comfort single people? What if you’ve experienced loss, so that you can comfort those going through loss? Is it worth it, to be like Jesus? 

  Doing good begins at home, with our family. Then we go to church, and immediately have fresh opportunities to be like Jesus. And how about our coworkers, and communities? John’s Hopkins Medicine estimates that 26% of adults in the United States alone, suffer from mental health issues. Our world is aching for the love of Jesus! When you go to Heaven, what kind of impact will you have made on your community? 

  Will you live out the love of Jesus today? To what lengths will you go to accomplish it? How dirty and tired will you get? How much of yourself will you give up? (Ephesians 5:2)