Living Christly

“James! Why can’t you be more like your brother, Jesus?” This is one of the lines comedian Michael Jr. quipped in his stand-up routine. The comic imagined that James must have had a lot of challenges having the Son of God as a big brother. He wasn’t James Christ! How could he ever live up to those standards? How can any of us?

Being Christ-like means embodying the qualities and characteristics of Jesus Christ in one's daily life. Isn't it darn-near impossible to have perfect love, compassion, humility, forgiveness, and obedience to God's will as second nature? Especially today.

Fortunately, someone said progress, not perfection, when leading a good spiritual life in an evil material world. It's supposed to be about continuously improving and growing, even in the face of challenges and setbacks. Wouldn’t it be great if we were given some program to follow, maybe a book called “Being Christly for Dummies”

Stop the presses! It’s already been published under a different title… in every language, in multiple versions, even in large print for the hearing-impaired. The Bible, or the longer, more accurate title: The Word of God. If you genuinely believe expressing Christ-like qualities in your life is vital, this book is the best place to start.

Let’s begin by listing Jesus’ top five qualities:

1. Love: “A new commandment I give to you, that ye love one another as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” John 13:34

   
   

The Beatles got it right when they sang “All You Need Is Love.”  Love IS all you need. Jesus said that two millennia before Messrs. Lennon and McCartney. John and Paul should be paying Jesus royalties! But how do you love one another when so many unlovable people surround you? By understanding that you are unlovable, too! Excuse me? You read that right! Realize that, once and for all, everyone who was ever born arrived on Planet Earth with a sinful nature, as Isaiah called us: “filthy rags.” But Jesus showed His perfect love by dying for every human life that was or ever will be born. Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God, was born to die for us. When you wonder how much Jesus loved you, look at His outstretched arms on the cross and listen for the words: “This much!” Here’s a suggestion: Be Christly and love one another.

2. Compassion: “But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.” Matthew 9:36

   
   

If you drove across the rolling hills of Texas, Colorado, or California, you might have driven past one of the more than 100,000 sheep farms in the United States. Forty percent of those farms have over 1,000 sheep in their flock. Do they still employ shepherds? Absolutely! Because good shepherds have particular skills in guiding, caring for, and protecting their flocks, it’s still a valuable profession. In current political and sociological conditions, do you know anyone who might feel sheepish, meaning helpless or harassed? Are you anxious or fearful about your future? Jesus was called the Good Shepherd for a reason. “He makes us lie down in green pastures. He leads us beside still waters. He restores our soul.” He is passionate about His flock because His Father is passionate about us. And Jesus only does what He sees His Father do. Here’s another suggestion: Be Christly and compassionate to each other. Anxiety and fear will vanish.

3. Humility: “Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.” (Philippians 2:3)

   
   

Have you ever noticed how challenging it is to maintain humility every day? It's not something we usually remind ourselves to do. And if we "forget" (maybe on purpose,) there's no struggle, right? "Hey Donny, don't forget to stay humble today!" But that reminder might only last a few minutes before it gets pushed to the back of our minds. When we do something good, we want people to notice. We expect praise. "Look what I did! Isn't it awesome?" It makes us feel superior to our friends. It puts us at the center of self-importance, making us think we're way above everyone else. Like that '70s bumper sticker: "It's tough to fly like an eagle when you're hanging with a bunch of turkeys."

But Paul encouraged the Philippians to value others above themselves, which involves recognizing and appreciating the worth and contributions of others. This attitude promotes a sense of community and mutual respect, aligning with the Christly quality of humility. By being humble, we can build stronger connections and create a more compassionate and supportive environment. Who knows? Maybe the eagles and turkeys will someday flock together and not get their feathers ruffled. Here’s a third suggestion (I’m detecting a trend here.) Stay humble.

4. Forgiveness: “Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man hath a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.” (Colossians 3:13)

   
   

God’s Word tells us that only two laws should demand our attention: the law of the Spirit of Life and the law of Sin and Death. Which one we obey will affect our eternal souls and determine their ultimate destination once separated from these “mortal coils.” The authority of both these laws comes from the Highest court in the universe, the court of the Supreme Being, Yahweh. These laws are immutable; they were enacted at the Fall of Man! And, man, did he fall, carrying humanity straight down to the pit of sin and death! However, the law of the Spirit of Life states that if we put our complete faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we will be acquitted of all past, present, and future crimes. He represented us in the highest court, and through his substitution, we were pronounced not guilty. We were forgiven! Completely exonerated! Case closed! The court’s adjourned!

Being Christly means forgiving each other when harsh words are spoken, rude actions are committed, and evil intentions are implemented. An eye for an eye, Old School, actually Old Testament, is no longer justified if you become Christ-like. God is the ultimate judge, folks. He doesn’t need your help to justify the world. So lay down your gavel and forgive… because you were forgiven. It’s the Christly thing to do.

5. Obedience: “And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient to death, even the death of the cross.” Philippians 2:8

   
   

In his letter, Paul highlighted the supreme act of obedience: Jesus's willing submission. Despite the ordeal ahead, Jesus retained His choice until His pivotal "nevertheless" in Gethsemane. Thankfully, He chose obedience, declaring, "Your will, Father, not Mine." Through this obedience, culminating in His sacrificial death, Jesus secured eternal life in Paradise for us. Furthermore, Jesus offered practical guidance for our obedience to the Father, including advices like, "Do not judge, so that you will not be judged," "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you," and the caution about the narrow gate and the difficulty of the path to life. He also warned, "Beware of false prophets. By their fruits you will recognize them." These statements, among others, serve as Jesus's counsel for maintaining our faithfulness to His Father. He recognized the inherent challenges, saying that true worth often demands effort.

Jesus shed light on our flawed human condition and presented an alternative path transcending foolish worldly submission. He provided divine blueprints for constructing an earthly reality capable of bearing up through life's trials—a strong shelter built upon a firm foundation, impervious to the world's decay. Being Christly means to follow Jesus’ example of obedience. To our deaths? We pray not. But to His Father’s will… most definitely.

Jesus was speaking to the crowds when someone said to Him, “Your Mom and brothers are outside waiting to talk to You.” Jesus responded, “Who is my mother and who are my brothers?” He stretched his hand toward His disciples and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers. For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”

News Flash! We’ll never be Jesus. I’m sure James realized that soon after his attempted walk across the lake. But we can still honor the family name by doing His Father’s will. As His brothers and sisters, we should practice these five qualities that He deemed important enough to sacrifice His life for. So, Dear Readers, live Christly and welcome to the Family.