To Be Like Jesus

“Do not take to heart all the things that people say, ‘lest you hear your servant cursing you. Your heart knows that many times you yourself have cursed others.” (Ecclesiastes 7:21-22)

When I was in my early twenties, as a newish believer, I distinctly remember asking God to help me to love like Jesus. To all those He calls, Jesus says, ‘Follow me’, and part of what that means is that we live and act like Jesus. Specifically, I was asking God to help me to love other people like Jesus did. Obviously, we will not do that perfectly, but I knew that it should be our pursuit, regardless.

But I remember that almost immediately after asking the LORD to help me to love like Jesus loved, I then had another thought. I asked myself, “Do you really understand what you are asking? To love like Jesus is no small matter.”

You see, I genuinely wanted to live and treat others like Jesus did, but I wasn’t sure if I truly wanted the sacrifice that would be necessary on my part that comes with that territory. I knew that to be like and love like Jesus, it wouldn’t be convenient nor comfortable, and I would have to die to myself and my own selfish desires and pride; after all, Jesus, because of His love, died for the sake of others.

Read over those verses at the beginning once more. I think about verse 22 fairly often. In those verses I am reminded that the way others, at times, have treated me, I too have treated others. I have offended others, just as I too have been offended. I have held grudges against others, just as I too have had grudges held against me. I have insisted on my own way at the expense of others, just as others have done to me. And the same is true of you.

“Your heart knows that many times you yourself have cursed others.” Ecclesiastes 7:22

I know this is true of me. I’m sure it is true of you as well. You and I both live in fallen flesh, beset with weakness. God is the only one of whom the truth of this verse is not applicable. In fact, in the Person and Work of Jesus, we see One who had every right to be offended and yet chose to forgive and show His love.

Jesus presented Himself as the long-awaited Messiah—the Savior of the world—but the nation of Israel rejected Him. God so loved the world, so He sent His Son (John 3:16), but they rejected His love, as they rejected His Son. And God would hold them accountable for that on the Day of Judgment. But as Jesus hung on that Cross—beaten, bruised, and bloodied—He said this:

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)

If there was ever a time for God to administer immediate judgment, it was when His Son hung crucified on that Cross, as His nation rejected Jesus. But Jesus not only asked God to forgive, but He did it while He was making that forgiveness possible—as He faced the wrath of God and would die sacrificially for the sins of all who would believe.

This is part of the reason why I had to ask myself if I really wanted to live and love like Jesus. His love did not simply lead Him to dying to Himself, but to literally die. And yet, I did, and still do, want to live and love like Him. But what will that cost me? The answer: everything; to live like Jesus, all of my wants, desires, feelings of what I think I deserve, get crucified on the cross with Him.

The fact of the matter is, no one has ever offended us more than we have offended God with our sin. Yet, Jesus, in His love, showed grace and mercy, and extended forgiveness to ones that were rejecting Him and cursing Him, as He bore the wrath of God on their behalf, if they would only believe.

To live like Jesus is to love like Jesus. How many will ask God to give them that kind of love?

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” John 13:34