As Jesus Did

"Those who live in God should live their lives as Jesus did." I John 2:1-17

I received a piece of counsel many years ago that has served me well when I have heeded it. Basically, it was, "Find someone who is where you want to be and find out how they got there." If you see a marriage that you would like to have, get close to that couple. Ask questions. Observe. Follow in their footsteps. Ditto with career progress, financial management, friendships, parenting, spiritual maturity, etc. Wisdom must be mined. We can't know what we don't know, but we can choose to actively learn. 
 
John was Jesus' best friend. He knew him up close and personal and wanted nothing more than to honor him with his life. He was the disciple who lived into old age. The others were all killed. He wrote this letter decades after Jesus ascended to heaven, but his heart and mind were filled with the memories and the character of his friend. To know God is to love God is to obey God -- just like Jesus did. Jesus lived out love...so should we. Our love for others in word and deed is the true light that this world desperately needs.   
 
Yikes! There are quite a few people in this old world who do not give us the warm fuzzies. They're prickly. Many of whom may be Jesus followers as well. Ugh. "I'll just avoid them," we say. "I'll fake it till I make it," we say. Truly love them? Hmm...not so much. And then here comes Jesus, "Do unto others as you would have done to you." Jesus lived the truth of that commandment. Amazingly, we are the prickly ones he chose to love, the ones he died for anyway. We love each other because he first loved us. No other reason is necessary.  

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