“This is the kind of life you’ve been invited into, the kind of life Christ lived.”
 1Pe 2:21 TM

Seek to Be Christlike

At creation God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature” (Ge 1:26 TM). Clearly God’s intention for each of us has always been to reflect His nature, His character, His purposes, His thoughts, and His ways. And if you want to know what that looks like, examine the life of Christ. Paul said, “[Jesus] is the exact likeness of the unseen God [the visible representation of the invisible]; He is the Firstborn of all creation” (Col 1:15 AMP). So your greatest goal, especially if you want to be used by God, must be Christlikeness. That means you should endeavor to handle situations as He did, and treat people the way He would. Peter writes, “For even to this were you called [it is inseparable from your vocation]…Christ…suffered for you, leaving you [His personal] example…that you should follow in His footsteps” (AMP). Jesus is your example when it comes to these three things: (1) Suffering. When He was mistreated, instead of retaliating He responded with love, patience, and kindness. (2) Serving. He stooped to wash the feet of His disciples, then told them, “Now go and serve one another. Nothing should be beneath you” (See Jn 13:15-17). (3) Submitting. He said, “I carry out the will of the one who sent me, not my own will” (Jn 5:30 NLT). And here’s the good news: God will keep working on you—indeed, He’s committed to it—to bring you to the place where in every circumstance of life you act the same way as Jesus. (bob gass)