Be Like Jesus

If you follow me, you know I’ve struggled with my faith over the last couple of years. I’ve almost walked away from God, and sometimes I don’t know why I haven’t.

But really, it’s because of Jesus. The more I read about Him, the more I want to be like Him.

It’s frustrating to see Christians claim to be Christlike when they’re so clearly wrong.

Some stories of Jesus stand out more than others and show me how to act.

Jesus and the Samaritan Woman

In Jesus’s time, Jews didn’t associate with Samaritans. They would even avoid traveling through Samaria if they could.

But Jesus was different.

Jesus met a woman at a well while traveling through Samaria with His disciples. This was unusual. Women went to the well in groups in the morning, not alone in the middle of the day. But this woman avoided them so she wouldn’t feel shame.

Jesus knew everything about this woman, including her sins, even though she had never met him. Eventually, He told her He was the Messiah.

She didn’t question Him or think he was crazy. She believed Him.

She dropped her water jug and ran back to her town, telling everyone about Him.

Because of this woman, Jesus stayed two more days to teach the people there. Because of this woman, whose name we don’t even know, many people came to know Jesus.

By society’s standards, Jesus shouldn’t have spoken to her. But He saw her, loved her, and wanted better for her.

Jesus spoke to her like a human being without looking down on her. He treated her with compassion and dignity.

I’ve been this woman. Haven’t we all? We may not commit the same sins as her, but we’re sinners.

It’s easy to wonder why anyone, especially Jesus, would love me. But He does.

I need to love people the same way He does.

Jesus and the Woman Caught in Adultery

The Pharisees hated Jesus, so they wanted to prove He wasn’t the Son of God.

They came to Him with a woman who committed adultery and asked what they should do. According to the law of Moses, they should have stoned her to death.

But Jesus knew what they were doing. Instead of answering, He bent down and wrote in the dirt with His finger. Eventually, He said, “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone at her.” Then, He kept writing in the sand.

To this day, no one knows what Jesus wrote. It’s at the top of my “Questions to Ask When I Get to Heaven” list (we all have one, right?). Did He list their sins? His verdict? The names of her accusers? I’ve heard some people suggest He might have written, “Where is the man?” Many speculate, but we don’t know.

They all left, but none of them condemned her.

Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you.” He told her to go and leave her life of sin.

Jesus was the one person who had never sinned. He was the one person who could have cast the first stone, but He didn’t. He didn’t condemn her. He didn’t believe she deserved death.

Why do so many Christians today believe it’s their right to condemn? Why do they so easily forget the words of Jesus? They’re full of sin, but they cast the first stone. Yes, Jesus told her not to sin anymore, but He showed her compassion and grace.

He shows me that same compassion and grace, and I need to do the same for others.

Jesus and the Man with Leprosy

By now, we know Jesus didn’t care what people thought about Him. He was going to love and care for everyone, no matter what.

At that time, people shunned anyone with leprosy. They had to live separately from everyone they loved. They couldn’t get close to anyone. If someone came near close, they had to warn them they were unclean. They couldn’t work, so their best hope was that someone would throw money at them out of pity. They were barely considered people; they were just “lepers.”

I can’t imagine that kind of isolation.

One man with leprosy heard about Jesus and believed He could heal him. He ran to Jesus and said, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”

And that’s what Jesus did. He didn’t care that the man was “unclean.” He touched him, and the man was healed instantly.

Once again, Jesus went against cultural, and even religious, expectations.

I’m not saying you should put your life at risk and touch someone with a serious illness (unless you feel like God is leading you to do so). But we shouldn’t be afraid to try to reach the most unloved people, those who are hurting, those in the most need.

I’ve seen Christians—those who claim to be like Jesus—avoid people begging for money because they were “dirty.” But Jesus never thought that way, so why do we?

Jesus Washed Feet

Jesus was the Messiah. The King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The Savior of the world.

But He was also a servant.

At His last meal, Jesus could have done many things. After all, He knew it would be His last. He could have been angry at them for their lack of faith. He could have done something fun on His last night alive. Knowing what was about to happen, He could have sent Judas away. I would have.

Instead, He washed the disciples’ feet. The Son of God humbled Himself and showed He was there to serve.

He even washed Judas’s feet. He knew Judas would betray Him, which would lead to His death, but He did it anyway, without hesitation.

He didn’t do it halfheartedly. He didn’t clean everyone else’s feet better. He didn’t do it to make Judas feel guilty. He showed that He still loved Judas as much as ever before. Jesus was willing to serve him, anyway.

Afterward, Jesus told His disciples to do the same thing. He wanted them to serve others. He had taught them to love people, and He led by example.

This doesn’t mean we must wash people’s feet (although it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t). But as Christians, we’re here to serve. Christians today tend to want to feel superior to others, to want power, and to feel pride. But that’s not what Jesus taught. To be like Jesus, we have to do whatever it takes to show love, care for others, and serve.

Of course, there are more obvious stories, like Jesus dying to save us, but I love reading about the simplicity of His actions. He met ordinary people and loved them. He didn’t ask for anything in return. He didn’t have ulterior motives. He just loved.

That’s why, no matter what I go through, I can’t help but love Jesus.

So why don’t I act enough like Him? Why do I care what others think about me or what they think about other people? Why should any of us care when the goal is to be like Jesus?

According to Jesus, we should be kind, forgive and care for others, and love each other without exception.

Why is that so difficult?

(This was originally published on Medium.com)