John the Baptist made this remarkable statement in John 3:30. The NIV translation renders it like this: “He must become greater; I must become less” (John 3:30 NIV). Why did John say that? He had an understanding of who Jesus was (and is). This is the same Jesus who the Father testified of in Matthew 17:5 when He said, “...This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, hear Him.”
If this is true, and it sure is, Jesus should, therefore, be our chief example. In other words, we’ve got to copy Him, and let our character be swallowed up by His own, so much that people would begin to say we look just like Him. John declared that “...as He (Jesus) is so are we in this world” (1 John 4:17). The question, therefore, is, “Who is He?” Jesus is the fulfillment of the Father’s dream. He is the living Word. When He walked this earth, He forgave, blessed, healed, raised the dead, embraced sinners, and changed lives. He was such a marvel, and He hasn’t changed (Hebrews 13:8).
This is why my prayer has always been to be like the Lord Jesus. I want to always do what He did, think like Him, and love people the way He did. I encourage you to make this your desire as well.
Make up your mind that you’ll always see the value of people and love them for who they really are; that you’ll help those who don’t know Jesus know Him and realize their true worth in Christ. And as you do this daily, they’ll fall deeper in love with Him and become more and more like Him.
Confession
I take after Jesus because I am born of His Word. As I study and meditate on His Word, I become more and more like Him. I do the same things He does and gets His kind of results every day. Therefore, I’d always be an outstanding success, just like Jesus. Hallelujah!
