Children are fascinating, and we were all children earlier in our lives. Some of us might remember times when, as children, we tried to imitate our parents. We would put on their shoes or clothes, which were many times bigger than our tiny feet and little frames, and plod around gesticulating like them.

Sometimes we would do skits- small drama scenes with our siblings, in which we would act like our parents. We mimicked them because we wanted to be like them. It seemed something within us told us, ‘that is what you should be like,’ and we liked it.

We would watch our parents and attempt to do what they did. It was not our interest if their character was good or bad, (what did we know?) Rather it was, ‘this is what mummy or daddy does’ and we just wanted to be like them. Yes, we desired to be like them. We would later extend that desire to other adults that had an influence upon our lives or one or two of our peers (Parents beware!).

During some part of my earlier years, I was a fan (read fanatic) of Bob Marley and Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, I knew their songs like I was the one who composed and recorded them. Consequently, I came close to wanting to live like them, but for the grace and mercy of God, I would have zoomed off on that trajectory with full throttle.

There is a saying about someone being the “true child of his father or mother.” It is used when the character of a parent is evidently manifest in the child. And when parents observe it or are told about it, you see the flush of pride on their countenance. If you are a parent, you probably know what I am talking about, don’t you?

If you are a Christian, you belong to Christ. As a child of God the Father, He is proud of you. You are well-beloved to Him.

Therefore be imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father]. 

The Christian life is a personal re-enactment of the life of Jesus Christ. So what was the life of Jesus like? What themes characterised His persona?

For every one of us who lay claims to being Christian, people who learn and follow after Jesus the Christ, it behoves us to live like the one we claim to be our Lord and Saviour because when we tell the world that Jesus Christ is the one we follow, we are saying that He is our example; He is our hero, our master, our ‘idol.’

When we declare ourselves to be believers in Christ, wittingly or unwittingly, we are announcing that Jesus is our celebrity, and we follow everything about Him closely.

Have you seen the way fans go crazy about their favourite mentor, footballer or music star? The celebrity’s events are electric. It is as though the fans are possessed of their ‘idol’s’ presence and performance. Fans collect memorabilia, read everything they can lay their hand on about their ‘idol’; they will not miss any event their idol would feature. There is a spirit to it that is unexplainable. The word ‘fan’ is actually from the word fanatic or fanatical. And they play the part!

Are you a fan of Jesus? Do you love Him? Do you willingly and joyfully let Him live His life in you and through you? Is He your Hero? Are you passionate about Him? No, I am not talking about the songs you sing about Him (that is part of it). It is rather about the life you live.

Jesus is the Son of God, and as a true son, He followed in the steps of the Father, imitating Him in everything. As true children of the Father, we also should imitate Him.

The fundamental character of God and therefore of Christ is love, and from His example on earth, that love was expressed in holiness, humility, compassion, selflessness, courage and faithfulness; even in His demonstration of power and authority, we see the effulgence of ‘charity’ as the King James Version would put it.

Love’s character is awesome, it is counter-culture, and it is supernatural. This is how the life of love reads:

Love is large and incredibly patient. Love is gentle and consistently kind to all. It refuses to be jealous when blessing comes to someone else. Love does not brag about one’s achievements nor inflates its own importance. Love does not traffic in shame and disrespect, nor selfishly seek its own honour. Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offence. Love joyfully celebrates honesty and finds no delight in what is wrong. Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others. Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up. LOVE NEVER STOPS LOVING! 

Having said all that, I must be honest with you; no human being can live the love life of Christ. This life is not about trying to be like Him, it is about you allowing Him to live His life through you.

Loving is living indeed, but until you die, you cannot live. The reason you are having difficulty loving is probably that you are still very much alive. And when you are alive, Christ cannot live His life through you. Many of us do not realize this until we come to our wit’s end, and we cry, “I cannot live the Christian life.” No, you can’t. Nobody, but Jesus Christ can. The life of Christ cannot sprout, grow and become fruitful in and through you until you die.

Let me make this clear: A single grain of wheat will never be more than a single grain of wheat unless it drops into the ground and dies. Because then it sprouts and produces a great harvest of wheat- all because one grain died. 

The Christian life is the crucified life. One in which you are dead, but Christ is alive in you instead. The blood of Jesus may wash away our sins, but it is the cross that kills the sinner. You must be daily dead!

And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 

Again, Paul puts it this way:

…I die daily. 

My old identity has been co-crucified with Messiah and no longer lives; for the nails of the cross crucified me with him. And now the essence of this new life is no longer mine, for the Anointed One lives his life through me- we live in union as one! My new life is empowered by the faith of the Son of God who loves me so much that he gave himself for me and dispenses his life into mine! 

Everyone who has Christ has the Spirit of Christ. It is in the daily laying down of our lives in submission to the Holy Spirit that releases the freedom to be like Jesus. It is by faith.

Friends, as His dear sons and daughters, let us mimic the Father in all things. God is love. As He is so are we in this world. Let us imitate Him.

 Thank you. Do not forget to keep living, loving and learning.

References: Ephesians 5:1, AMP; 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, TPT; John 12:24, TPT; Luke 9:23, KJV; 1 Corinthians 15:31, KJV; Galatians 2:20, TPT.  (Emphasis mine)

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