1 John 3:1-3 We Don't Want to Be Like Him

 

Observation: I hear a double meaning in this reading from 1 John (both this letter and the Gospel of John are full of double entendre). The literal meaning is that when Jesus is visibly revealed, at the end of time, we will be "like him," meaning we will share in his resurrection life. The figurative meaning, I think, is that anytime Jesus' character is revealed, meaning any time we share stories about him or his teachings, those who really believe in him will be "like him" in terms of personality traits, goals, and self identity as children of God first and foremost. 

Application: There are so many reasons Christians either delay or deny the need to 'be like Jesus.' 

He's sinless; we're not. Why try?

He died for my sins; I can't do that. Why try? 

But then we move from the theological to the practical. 

It doesn't 'work'. 

Meaning, of course, that we have concrete goals that require behavior that is very different from Jesus' behavior.

We have aspirations to a different kind of power than what Jesus had. 

We believe in our hearts that we can be temporarily unlike Jesus, in service to a greater good. 

We believe once that good is accomplished, a goal which is always right around the corner, then we can go back to being like him.

That doesn't work. It never has. 

If we are pursuing goals unlike those of Jesus, then we need to reexamine our goals. If our goals require us to stop trying to imitate his way of being in the world, then they aren't worth having.

You see, to 'believe' in Jesus doesn't just mean believing a story about what he did with regard to our sins. To 'believe' in him means believing that just being like him is a worthy goal that will make the world better. And, granted. That's sometimes just as hard to believe as the empty tomb. But it's part of who we are. We are sinners, no way around it. We will fail miserably every time we try to be like him. But the believing is in the trying. And that trying can seed belief in others. Maybe if there really are people out there like him, he will be revealed to those who couldn't see him before. Best to start now. Not tomorrow, not Wednesday. Right now. 

Prayer: Jesus, help me believe. Help me be like you. Reveal yourself. To me, through others, and to others through me. Amen.