IMMITATE CHRIST
Jenna Worsham
Today's Scripture: “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:5, ESV
Theme: We develop the “Jesus Mindset” as we begin imitating Christ, empowered by His Spirit.
THE MIND OF CHRIST
After Jesus died physically, He returned to heaven, providing a spiritual “Helper” to indwell believers. In this passage, Jesus had already been crucified, and He appeared to the disciples. “And with that he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’” (John 20:22, NIV). Before all believers were indwelt by the Holy Spirit, it was difficult to understand God. He seemed inaccessible, mysterious, frightening, and only available to a select few. Jesus’ death and resurrection opened the way for God to be with anyone willing – to live with them...on the inside! Today we can have a “Jesus Mindset” because we have His words, His example as recorded in Scripture, and His Spirit.
How we relate to other believers matters. Some liturgies for life (which Jesus followed) include “The Shema” and the related “First and Greatest Commandment” and the Second, which is like it. Both serve to remind us of what Jesus’ priorities are and shape our own decisions and values accordingly. The Shema we learned about a couple of weeks ago when it was our scripture of the day: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5, ESV). Jesus directly references “The Shema” when He responds to the Pharisees questioning about which command is the most important. Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Matthew 22:37-39, NLT
God’s priorities don’t change and neither should ours. The Jesus Mindset is calibrated by Love – God first, neighbor next. And while everyone knows this, when it comes to actually showing love to people (annoying, difficult, loud, awkward, messy, rude people), we struggle.
MY ACTUAL NEIGHBORS
Our neighbors on both sides are delightful. They are not people I struggle to love. The problem is, though I feel thankful for them and generally wish them well, I don’t always act on those sentiments. And wishing someone well while also ignoring them is not loving.
One neighbor has had multiple debilitating surgeries this summer. While she handles them well and her husband takes good care of her, I know her chronic health problems have to be frustrating. We haven’t had meals together in a few months. She would say, “We don’t need anything.” However, would it show love better if I baked some fresh bread and delivered it, praying briefly before heading back home? It’s not much, and I like baking bread, so it wouldn’t be hard on me. Yet acting on our good thoughts and intentions shows we haven’t forgotten them and that our love is more than a passing thought.
The neighbors on the other side just moved their only child, a son, off to college. It’s a bittersweet season and I see them enjoying their freedom but also putting on a brave face. The mom recently accepted my invitation to paddle board on Lake Norman for a couple of hours. I enjoyed the company and conversation so much that I hesitate to use it as an example. It’s not always a burden to love your neighbor. Adopting the Jesus Mindset includes learning to delight in the role of loving people. Jesus showed us that obedience isn’t always difficult. He loved people at weddings, on the lake, hiking down the road, and often over a delicious meal. God often directs us to love when it’s hard, but also in ways that bless and fulfill us as much as they do the object of our love.
Make It Personal: How is God directing you to imitate Him, empowered by His Spirit? Is it a pleasure, like baking bread or paddle boarding on a glassy lake? Or maybe this doesn’t ring true for you because it’s challenging to love the people around you. Either way, pray for the motivation and grace to imitate Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Pray: Father, thank You for telling us plainly what is important. Help us to love our neighbors near and far. I pray for The Cove Church in all locations—from South Africa to Salisbury–that we would follow Your teaching in this area. Teach me how to think, teach me how to love, help me to adopt Your mindset and way of being. You are the One God I worship. Empower me to love and live like You do, picking me up when I fall and giving me the strength to keep going until my life is finished. Amen.
Read: Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 19:19; Mark 12:30-32
Weekly Memory Verse: “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:5, ESV