More Like Jesus

"My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself up for me." Galatians 2:20

As the interview went on, it was clear to me that this actor was quite serious about his role in a new movie that was based on a war hero's true story. He went to this person's house. He walked around his property. He went into his barns and handled his tools. He watched old interviews of the man and talked to those who knew him well. He was determined to be true to this man's character and life. 

Here, in the verses for the day, Paul makes the astute observation that the person who can live most like Jesus is Jesus! Jesus, he says, lives within everyone who believes in him. It's not our job then to "act" like Jesus, it's our job to get out of the way so that Jesus can live his life through us. The key is to trust him with our whole heart, which Paul says he has already earned on the cross.


It's time for us to do more following and less boot strap pulling. We cannot make ourselves like Jesus, but Jesus can. Everyday, in earnest prayer to God, we need to make sure the old us doesn't get resuscitated. We need to turn over the throne of our lives to Jesus. In so doing, we become a better and better reflection of him as he lives out his life through us. 

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