When I was a young boy we lived in the country and I had to become very creative in how I played. Much of the time I was alone and hd to create imaginary situations so that there were "others" around me. I would also "become" someone else and emulate everything they did. I would know them, study them and learn all I possibly could about them and then become them.
One of the people I "became" was Wilt the "Stilt" Chamberlain. At the time he was a famous Los Angeles Laker NBA star. I always wanted to become Wilt. I practiced his famous hook shot, watched him play on TV and learned all of his moves. I had some of the most amazing NBA battles all alone in my uneven gravel driveway. In my mind I was Wilt the "Stilt" Chamberlain.
There were a few drawbacks in becoming Wilt. First, my skin pigment was as white as could be. Wilt was African American and I was never going to become Wilt. Second, Wilt was over 7 feet tall. At my peak of vertical extension I might have reached 5'9". Lastly, I just did not have the skill Wilt had. Yes, I could strive to become as best I could to play act and live like Wilt, but it was not ever going to happen.
Then I met this Jesus person through the church and other people talking about Jesus. I noticed that most who talked and taught about this Jesus were different from other people. As I grew in learning what I was observing was people not just talking and teaching, but people living and acting like Jesus. They were different! I wanted to be like them and as I grew in my walk with Jesus I really wanted to be like Jesus.
The gift we have with Jesus, which is different from Wilt, is that we can become like Jesus Christ! In our relationship with God, we can take on the character of Jesus Christ and become like him. In fact, it is imperative to our earthly survival and witness of our relationship with Christ to become like Christ for the world!
Peace,
PB
One of the people I "became" was Wilt the "Stilt" Chamberlain. At the time he was a famous Los Angeles Laker NBA star. I always wanted to become Wilt. I practiced his famous hook shot, watched him play on TV and learned all of his moves. I had some of the most amazing NBA battles all alone in my uneven gravel driveway. In my mind I was Wilt the "Stilt" Chamberlain.
There were a few drawbacks in becoming Wilt. First, my skin pigment was as white as could be. Wilt was African American and I was never going to become Wilt. Second, Wilt was over 7 feet tall. At my peak of vertical extension I might have reached 5'9". Lastly, I just did not have the skill Wilt had. Yes, I could strive to become as best I could to play act and live like Wilt, but it was not ever going to happen.
Then I met this Jesus person through the church and other people talking about Jesus. I noticed that most who talked and taught about this Jesus were different from other people. As I grew in learning what I was observing was people not just talking and teaching, but people living and acting like Jesus. They were different! I wanted to be like them and as I grew in my walk with Jesus I really wanted to be like Jesus.
The gift we have with Jesus, which is different from Wilt, is that we can become like Jesus Christ! In our relationship with God, we can take on the character of Jesus Christ and become like him. In fact, it is imperative to our earthly survival and witness of our relationship with Christ to become like Christ for the world!
“Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.” - Ephesians 5:1-2 The Message
Become Jesus for the world to see and God's great love to be proclaimed.Peace,
PB
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