|
Can We Become More Like Jesus? |
 |
 |
 |
|
 Seeing The World Through Jesus' Eyes
"After realizing that I had listened more to the scriptwriters than to my own heart, I began to examine my own values. I found it a very helpful exercise to ask myself, "How did Jesus go about His ministry as depicted in Scripture?"
I have since made a conscious effort to adopt these values as my own in every area of my life. Here are some observations of a script according to Jesus, a man who was the same on the outside as He was on the inside."
- Jesus saw through the eyes of the kingdom of God. Like the frontline troops of an army advancing to reclaim lost territory, we are bringing the kingdom of God to bear in this life. Jesus was committed to establishing beachheads in Satan's territory. He was committed to raiding the camps of darkness and setting free the men and women being held captive. As we wait and look for Jesus to come and win the final battle, our primary call is to evangelism.
- Jesus saw through the eyes of Scripture. Our desire is to do and teach simply what the Bible says. Its message holds power when it is read and believed just as it is, without imposing any presuppositions and preconceptions onto the text. We must also go beyond knowing the message of the Bible to obeying it.
- Jesus saw through the eyes of mercy. Ours is neither to make names for ourselves nor to build lasting institutions, but to meet the needs of broken people through a ministry of mercy. The church is the place where righteousness and mercy meet.
- Jesus saw people through the eyes of simplicity. The Son of God did nothing for religious effect. Rather, He operated in a natural, low-key manner.
- Jesus saw through the eyes of integrity. It is vital that what we say is the same as what we do. We must always be careful to speak the truth, deal honestly, and live uprightly.
- Jesus saw people through the eyes of His culture. Jesus had the ability to speak the cultural language of His day so that people could understand His message of God's love. We too need to help others see how the gospel can be relevant to their everyday lives.
- Jesus saw people through the eyes of reality. Jesus walked in the Spirit and recognized the supernatural works of God. He functioned equally well on a rational plane in His teachings. He both brought and explained the power of the kingdom of God.
Jesus admits the secret of His success: "The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father do" (John 5:19). If we are to succeed in bringing the good news to those around us, we must place our expectation for success in the right place.
(Steve Sjogren, Conspiracy of Kindness)
|
