What keeps us from living the way Jesus lived?

The simplest answer would be ... we're not Jesus. But let's not use that as an excuse, because if I understand it correctly, that's exactly who we are created to be like ... and called to be like. Just a few examples ...

• "For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son" Romans 8:29a 
• "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus" Philippians 2:5 
• "As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you." John 20:21 

Conformed to His image, with the same attitude, sent like He was sent ... that's the life we're called to. The crazy thing is, not only is that the life we're called to, it's the life we've been given. A few examples ...

• "He is the image of the invisible God ... Christ in you, the hope of glory" Colossians 1:15, 27 
• "For in Christ all the fulness of the deity lives in bodily form. And you have been given fulness in Christ" Colossians 2:9-10a 
• "And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts" Galatians 4:6 

We're given the life of Christ and called to live it ... but we so often don't. Why? I'm sure there are many answers. The one that has been on my heart the past couple days is this: selfishness. Selfishness is the most natural human reaction ... and the most repulsive one. We tend to react in our own best interest in most cases ... and it tends to be the easiest way to turn someone off, the easiest way to lose credibility or influence in someone's life. This is bad, especially since the call to be like Jesus implies doing what He did, and He impacted lives. In order for us to do this, we can't afford to lose credibility - with anyone! And so ... we can't be self-centered people.

But how do we change this?! I said that it is the most natural reaction - but it doesn't have to be! We can change our nature ... wait, let me say that differently - God has changed our nature! There's a new natural! But we have to work it out, we have to exercise it. We have to stop living in the old nature and live in the new nature we've been given. "You were taught with regard to your former way of life to put off the old self which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires, and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." Ephesians 4:22-24. Ok, enough with the Scripture, we get it, you can't just throw verses at something to fix it ... or can you? We react based on our mindset, our mind is shaped by what we put in it. So, yes, throwing Scripture at something can be very effective in bringing change! But I'd prefer a different phrase - inserting truth.

You see, we've been told a lie. The lie is that you are the most important person in the universe. You are told this lie often. Usually by marketing slogans enticing you to buy something that is supposed to make you happier. We are an entitled people. And it's wrong. So in order to reverse the effects of this lie that we're constantly fed - we need to insert truth, often. Maybe it's wisest not to spend too much time running from the lie (you'll end up a recluse), but rather insert truth and let it chase the lie away. Here's some to start with ...

•  "But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. Mark 10:43-45 
• "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others." Philippians 2:3-4 
• "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience" Colossians 3:12 
• "Humble yourselves before the Lord and He will exalt you." James 4:10 

So, read these often, chew on them, memorize them, chew on em some more, repent where you fail to live up to them, tell someone else how you struggle to keep this standard, pray, keep inserting truth. And live in the new natural - selflessness, the same selflessness that Christ displayed in His life ... and in His death. This is the selflessness you have been given. This is the selflessness you have been called to. Work it out. Live in it.

They Understand the Problem... but Not the Solution

It seems very often that I run across some brilliant insight from the world's perspective about the world's problem. Consider the following ...

"Somewhere in the seven pounds of gray matter that rests between our ears we hear tiny voices. We don't usually know what's being said but we know something is up. Something is not quite right with our lives, the voice seems to be saying. But because most of us are usually tired at the end of the day and because our kids want us to watch another episode of Sponge Bob with them and it's our turn to take out the garbage and walk the dog, etc., we struggle to respond correctly ... you feel the need for something in your life that is not quite tangible"

That's not the beginning of Erwin McManus's next book about the passionate longings in your soul. It's from the intro to a book about rustic log cabins. And though I also am fascinated by them, I don't think they are the answer to the things that are "not quite right with our lives."

Or consider this ...

"Since the dawn of recorded history something like one hundred and ten billion human beings have been born into this world, and not a single one of them made it... Roughly 60 million people die every year ... I read this quote once 'We live alone; we die alone. Everything else is just an illusion." It used to keep me up at night. We all die alone. So why am I supposed to spend my life working sweating, struggling for an illusion ... no amount of friends, no girl, no assignment about conjugating the pluperfect... is gonna help avoid my fate."

That's not John Elderedge at Catalyst setting us up for an explanation of how God has written a story that does gives meaning to what seems meaningless to so many. It's the opening monologue of a movie called The Art of Getting By.

The world understands the problem very well. Things are not right ... and the world system not only displays this reality, it acknowledges it. I recall Matchbox 20 - "can you help me I'm bent, I'm so scared that I'll never get put back together ..." Watch movies, listen to music - the world knows things are messed up! Listen to Coldplay passionately crying out "tears stream down your face, when you lose something you cannot replace..." We have indeed lost something we cannot replace - the purpose that God created us for, the meaningful existence we were meant for.

But here's the thing, though the world is well versed about the problem ... they have nothing to offer in the way of a solution. I remember riding in the car with a friend who was struggling with addictions... a Pink Floyd song came on the radio and he talked about how it resonated with him ... he could relate to it b/c of his issues ... but not b/c it offered him hope for overcoming those issues.

Sad thing about the world's insight on our plight ... it stops with the plight, their heart cries are genuine and honest, but with no direction. The best the world has to offer is the progress of modern man, who sees himself as the answer to his own problems.

The world must look beyond the world for a solution to what is troubling the world. We long for something like Heaven, but know it is unattainable ... so we just sing about the troubles of earth. BUT ... there is a place where Heaven and earth intersect ... the incarnation. Jesus understood the troubles of earth too, because He entered into our troubles in the flesh. But, unlike the world's system, He had a view of heaven, and He has made that view a reality for us... "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God." - I Peter 3:15. Jesus brought Heaven to earth when it was out of our reach, and because of His life and death, and resurrection, we don't have to be stuck with songs that only articulate the world's problems ... we have a God who provided a solution.