I Want to Live Like That!

better living faith intentional living Jan 06, 2024

4 minute read
By Bethany Rees

Let’s be honest with each other. Have you ever looked at a picture of someone and thought “I want to look like that?”

Whether it was in a movie, on social media, or in a magazine back in the day, 99.99% of us have longed to be more like someone else.

Heck, these people are probably the picture we look at as we work towards our new year resolutions.

Not that we would want to take away from these iconic people because that would mean we have a jealous heart…no, no no.

We just want to be more like them than ourselves, so we feel more confident or accepted in society.

As for me, I’ve always wanted to live more like a strong female hero-type figure. One who has confidence, skills, and isn’t weak. Plus, I’ve always been a visual person so I need an actual picture target to aim for. So I’ve been wanting to live like, you know, just your typical hero, rockstar, and freedom fighter all rolled into one.

But here lately I’ve been doing a deep dive back into the gospels and really praying/meditating on the words of Jesus. And man has the Holy Spirit been poking me.

God’s really speaking to my heart about why I’m trying to be like anyone other than the one who created me…Him!

“Ok God, I’m hearing you. You didn’t make me to look like or live like Wonder Woman, Pink, or Harriet Tubman. But what’s my target here? What goal am I aiming for when it comes to living?”

God’s response in scripture:

Genesis 1:26 “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”

Ok, we were created in the image of God, but what does that mean?

My tiny brain struggles to comprehend how I am to bear the image of God instead of the world…but then again, it’s really not too hard to comprehend.

God’s response in scripture:

Everything Jesus said and did during his ministry that are mentioned in the gospels.

You see God sent Jesus to earth to show us the way back to Him in relationship and in what image we bear while we are in the world. Jesus is our visual!

While the bible doesn’t tell us what Jesus physically looks like, oh how it explains what he was like and the Godly image he bore.

Jesus was love, sacrificial love.

“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” ~John 15:13

Jesus was always abiding in the Father.

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.” ~John 15:9-10

Jesus was always serving.

“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 10:45

Jesus always had compassion on others.

“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” ~Matthew 9:36

Jesus was always modeling for us the image of God and who we are to be like and how we are to live:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.” ~ John 14:12

Woah!

Every time I actually sit down to read the scriptures, the Holy Spirit is always revealing new things to me that I’ve missed previously.

And y’all, in reading how Jesus lived and loved, it stirs my soul.

It makes me declare that I don’t want to live like the world or like anyone in the world.

I want to live like Jesus:

loving
abiding
serving
having compassion
doing good works

I want to live like I am made in God’s image and am to be the hands and feet of Jesus to a broken world.