Be Like Christ
“…He decided from the
outset to shape the lives of those who love Him along the same lines as the
life of His Son.” (Romans 8:29-Message)
Years ago, Gatorade
launched an advertising campaign that encouraged basketball fans, young and old
alike, to “Be Like Mike.” The
commercials pictured little kids dribbling and make believing that they could
run, jump and shoot the ball like Michael Jordan. Some time back, I sat down with his mother,
Delores, in my office, when she shared the humor of traveling all over the
globe in her missions trips and finding children in the most remote tribes of
Africa and South America with one pair of shorts with a “23” on it.
Generally seen as the
greatest basketball player of all-time, M.J. raised the standard of how the
game was played through his passion to win, aerial acrobatics, and ability to
make others better. The problem is, Mike’s gift was unique. And as much as I practiced or mimicked Mike’s
moves, I was never quite able to play like him.
I just don’t have that God-given ability to play at that level. However, if I was somehow able to take his
strength, talent, and knowledge of the game and put it inside of me, things
would be different. Unfortunately, I’m
left to myself to only dream of being like Mike.
While it would be a
worthy pursuit to acquire some of the traits of people we admire, whether that
be Michael Jordan, Nelson Mandela, Bill Gates, Mother Teresa, John Wooden, Oprah
Winfrey, or any other countless influencers, our purpose is to “Be Like
Christ.”
In Romans 12,
Paul tells us, “Don’t be conformed to this world but be transformed by the
renewing of your mind.” The word
renew is translated “metamorphosis” or “change.” Transformation isn’t about refurbishing,
recreating, or even reinstituting change.
It’s a complete overhaul. It’s
being shaped by the Savior rather than being shaped by society…becoming more
like Christ than our culture…and changed by the Word rather than the
world. Change always requires a
combination of filling our minds with the Words of Christ and shaping our
hearts through the trials of life.
The cocoon of the
Emperor moth is flask in shape. To
develop into a perfect insect, it must force its way through the neck of the
cocoon by hours of intense struggle. Entomologists
explain that this pressure, to which the moth is subjected, is nature’s way of
forcing a life giving substance into its wings. Wanting to lessen the seemingly needless
trials and struggles of the moth, an observer said, “I’ll lessen the pain and
struggles of this helpless creature!”
With small scissors he snipped the restraining threads to make the
moth’s emergence painless and effortless. The creature never developed
wings. For a brief time before its death
it simply crawled instead of flying through the air on rainbow colored wings.
Interestingly, the
struggles of childbirth or the child squeezing through the birth canal are also
a God designed way of forcing liquid out of the newborn’s lungs. Sorrow, suffering, trials, and tribulations
are wisely designed to grow us into Christ likeness. The refining and developing processes are
oftentimes slow, but through grace, we emerge triumphant. When we think in terms of the things we will
take with us into eternity, character is the only thing that will remain. None of the plaques, awards, finances, gifts,
or accumulations will last. Just
character alone.
That is one of the
reasons Paul tell us, “God knew what He was doing from the very beginning. He
decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love Him along the same
lines as the life of His Son.
The Son stands first in the line of humanity He restored. We see the original and intended shape of our
lives in Him.” Romans 8:29 - Message) Be
like Christ…go ahead, I dare you!
Terry Risser
Reflections:
1)
How does Christ most change us into His
image?
2)
Why do we struggle to see it sometimes?
Consider reading the Word today:
Copyright 2014- Terry Risser
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