Vol. 17 No. 50 | December 14, 2015
This is my sincere plea to my Christian brothers and sisters: Just be like Jesus.
This is not a request for infallibility, not a demand for flawless living, and certainly not a naive expectation of perfection. Of course we are human. Yes, we make mistakes…we have in the past and we will again.
My plea is for those who claim to be followers, not government official, not politicians, not sports figures, not superstars of the entertainment industry. My plea is for those who claim to follow Jesus. If you claim to follow Him, follow Him. Please do your best to be like Him.
The conversations taking place, the attitudes being displayed, actions being advocated by my brothers and sisters have brought to mind the words and the sentiment of this prayer of old hymn.
Oh! to Be Like Thee
Thomas O. Chisholm, pub.1897
Copyright: Creative Commons Public Domain
Oh! to be like Thee, blessed Redeemer,
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.
Oh! to be like Thee, full of compassion,
Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,
Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,
Seeking the wand’ring sinner to find.
Oh! to be like Thee, lowly in spirit,
Holy and harmless, patient and brave;
Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,
Willing to suffer, others to save.
Oh! to be like Thee, Lord, I am coming,
Now to receive th’ anointing divine;
All that I am and have I am bringing,
Lord, from this moment all shall be Thine.
Oh! to be like Thee, while I am pleading,
Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love,
Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,
Fit me for life and Heaven above.
Refrain: Oh! to be like Thee, oh! to be like Thee,
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
Just be like Jesus. When you air your opinions publicly, just be like Jesus. When you engage in your heated debates about what is wrong with the world, just be like Jesus. Before you demand your rights and express your frustrations over being mistreated, just be like Jesus. When you are in the presence of children, and when you are teaching them how to get on in the world, just be like Jesus. To my preaching friends, when you position yourself as a spokesperson for God, just be like Jesus. When you proclaim what you will or will not do as a citizen of your country, just be like Jesus. When you are with your family, just be like Jesus. When you are with your friends, just be like Jesus. When you are tired and want to give up on the human race, just be like Jesus.
There was a time when, “There were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. ‘Sir,’ they said, ‘we would like to see Jesus.’” Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. (John 12:20-22, NIV)
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this is the plea I make, and possibly the plea being made many who are not within our circle: “We would like to see Jesus.”
Oh! to be like Thee, oh! to be like Thee,
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
This week: I just want to be like Jesus.
Tom
A Norvell Note © Copyright 2015. Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved.