Today… right now… I want you to think about all the young people who idolize certain celebrities. Let’s take musicians as an example. When they see their favorite musician wearing a brand name item, they simply must have it. If the musician wears the hairstyle, the fans will imitate him. When the musician takes the stage and shows a symbol with his hands, it won’t be long before he sees kids doing it all over town.
For example, you can see the ways they act on stage. If the musician acts aggressive, you can bet the fans will be. When the costumes change throughout their careers, they change the clothing of the fans. You will see fans imitate them in karaoke, they will dress like them, talk like them, act like them and even try to hold the microphone like them. They will dance, yell, yell, laugh and talk in any way they can to try to be like their idol. Unfortunately, we all know this simple truth… they will never sound like the original.
This is because they are trying to do, in one moment, what the celebrity has spent his entire life trying to perfect. The clothes were selected by their wardrobe manager, their hair was done by a stylist, the gear they wear was selected by the band manager, and the brands they wear were selected by the promotions team. Even then, we see that this is not what makes them great musicians. These musicians have a talent yes, but they are years and years of vocal training. Hours of practice day after day.
It’s going through session after session of the same song to the point where they’re literally singing it in their sleep. The strict diet, the regimen of drinking water to hydrate, the hours to rest… are things that fans do not do. They want to be the star, but they refuse to set aside time every day to be ready for the show when it comes. As a result, its performance is terrible.
This is a simple truth that can be carried over to almost any area of life. There may be something we want to do, or a way we want to live, but we just never take the time to put the effort into it. This is true for a public speaker, an athlete, a teacher, or a surgeon. In that moment of crisis, a successful performance rests on the depth and intensity of the preparation that was put before the need to act. What is true for specific activities is also true for life as a whole.
The same goes for a follower’s desire to live as Jesus lived. You see, we all want to be able to perform signs and wonders (hopefully with the desire to see him glorify the Father). We want to live above the obstacles of our world. We want to regularly hear the voice of God and feel his presence daily from him. When someone confronts our faith, we want to be prepared to respond. As the wounded and troubled come for help, we wish to give them words of comfort and consolation. It is with a heavy heart that I must admit that many who claim to follow Christ sometimes spend time preparing for situations.
We are too busy with life and forget that this life is temporary. We look at today as if it were the only thing of any importance. Life truly is a fleeting moment in contrast to eternity. When we position ourselves to live as Jesus lived, we will find ourselves more and more prepared to do what Jesus did. It is an undeniable truth that we have been saved by grace alone and we can do nothing to earn it. You must also understand that grace does not mean that you will automatically be infused with the strength and insight to speak and live as Jesus lived. That train of thought would make about as much sense as putting a fifth grader in a professional football game at defensive linebacker because someone bought him a ticket!
We have to be realistic. It takes time to develop the disciplines that Jesus lived by. These are things that took a lot of time and effort. He went through many tests to obtain the spiritual strength that he obtained. His wisdom came from God, but his knowledge of the Scriptures came from a life of deep and determined study. It is completely evident from the way Jesus lived his entire life that he understood this fact. You have to work hard before you get the reward!
After being baptized by his cousin John, Jesus went into the desert and fasted for a month and a half while praying to his Father. He then went ahead to begin his ministry. As we watch, we will see that he often spent time in solitude and prayer preparing for the next day before ministering to the needs of his disciples and others. As a result of his disciplined life, he lived a life in the public eye, serving others and healing people wherever he went.
Here is the secret of an easy yoke…
“Live every moment of your life by embracing the very lifestyle of Jesus Christ and you will be able to do as he has done.”
We can’t just go through life and wait for a situation to arise and flippantly ask ourselves, “What would Jesus do?” Well, I guess we could. If he had been there when you asked me, he would probably say, “I’m not sure what he would do, but I’m pretty sure he spent the last 30 years preparing for this exact moment. What have you done to prepare?” I know this may seem a bit rude, but it actually shows that I too have wasted many of my years unprepared to face the difficulties and challenges of life.
I think it was Henry David Thoreau who once said:
“…men will lie on their backs, talking about the fall of man, and never make the effort to get up.”
Is this how you are going to start your walk with the Lord? Walking each day thinking about what it would be like to reach out and touch people, and then seeing how they encounter God’s love for the first time. Or are you going to be that brave follower who decides to let go of everything that stands in the way of living a life of discipline that prepares you to touch and heal, speak and break bonds, pray and shake the very foundations of humanity? land? ! I challenge you this very day not to sit idly by and allow the enemy to reclaim the ground he has gained through the trials, sacrifice, and blood of Christ’s faithful followers who have gone before. Will you pick up the intercessory prayer weapon and continue to fight for your city? Will you fight for our children and their children?