It doesn’t matter where I go and in what complex situation I have found myself over the years and around the world…
- hunger
- conflict
- poverty
- sickness
- brokenness
- loneliness
- death
- need for resources
- need for people
- need for purpose
- need for compassion & empathy
- the absence of leadership
- the need for wisdom
- the need for humility
- the need to know what to do and say
… the answer, in every single case, is the same.
Every single one of these (and any other need) is addressed when I become like Jesus. When I have one goal… and one purpose… and one mission… All else is taken care of. It may not be easy but life is really not complicated. To all that life presents as broken or need-ridden, there is nothing that is not addressed by people who take literally the mission to be like Jesus.
When we give like Him, love like Him, see people like Him, speak to people like He did, pray like He did, feed like him, and most importantly perceive like Him… the byproduct is the wrong becomes right. The world (or my particular situation) becomes wrong when I act like me… and all things become right again when I act like Him. Yes, this is frustratingly simple, but so difficult to actuate. But who — and I mean who — would argue the result of what our lives were like if millions of His followers were really following?
Don't use my idealism as an excuse to ignore this and acquiesce to life’s status quo of unnecessary pain and confusion. Before you speak, act, give, pray, mope, complain, give up, say “no”, gossip, feel sorry for yourself or cop an all-too-familiar attitude… stop and and just copy Jesus and you’ll be fine.
