What Does it Mean: To Be Like Jesus!

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Don't be like Cain, who belonged to the devil and murdered his own brother. Why did he murder him? He did it because his brother was good, and he was evil.  My friends, don't be surprised if the people of this world hate you.  Our love for each other proves we have gone from death to life. But if you don't love each other, you are still under the power of death.

If you hate each other, you are murderers, and we know murderers do not have eternal life.  We know what love is because Jesus gave his life for us. This is why we must give our lives for each other.

1 John 3:12-16

Many years ago there was a "new song" that was popular among young Christians.  The first words were: "To be like Jesus, to be like Jesus, all I ask, to be like Him!"  We sang that song with great sincerity and fervor, but I don't think we had much understanding of what those words meant. 

We thought about the fact that being like Jesus meant hearing from God every day and seeing the miraculous power of God around us and even working through us.  But we forgot about the Cross and dying for others.  The terrible suffering that Jesus endured was far from our minds as we proclaimed in song our desire to be like Him.

But as the days turned into months and the months, years, the years also turned into decades, we discovered that there was much more to being like Jesus than walking on water in a storm!  Suffering, pain and sorrow also came while we walked the "victorious" life of faith! 

Being like Jesus is like a mother who suffers terribly and even walks up to death's door to bring her child into this world.  Then she gives her life for her child every day until that baby is able to live on it's own.

Being like Jesus is giving yourself for the sake of others.  That is what Jesus did and that is what we must do to be like Him.  Will there be miracles and great mountain top experiences?  There may be some, but for sure there will be the Cross and dying to self.

"Lord Jesus, I very seriously and soberly ask You to help me be like You today.  May I give up my life today as You did every day when You  walked on this earth.  And may You be praised forever.  Amen."