“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” (Romans 8:29)
Thirty-three and Jewish isn’t an original phrase of my own. I recently heard it while listening to a podcast where the host was speaking to a guest about being conformed to the image of Jesus Christ.
I’m not one of those people who long to go back in time. In reality, the thought of being thirty-three years old again gives me the shivers. On the other hand, I did take a DNA test several years ago. Being adopted, I wondered about my origins. I was hoping, really hoping, the test would reveal some Jewish blood in me somewhere. I would have been proud to carry a small bit of Jesus’ biological lineage. Sadly, it wasn’t to be. I was disappointed that I can’t boast of even a smidgen of Jewish descent.
The phrase 33 and Jewish got me to thinking not only about my DNA test results, but about the many other ways I desire to be conformed to his image.
Colossians 1:16 assures us that the man, Jesus Christ, “…is the image of the invisible God…” He is our example in all things.
7 Ways We Should Aspire To Be Like Jesus
1. We should love like Jesus.
We like to think of ourselves as loving people. The truth is that’s it’s easy to love those who love us in return. It’s much more challenging to love those who don’t love us, and may never. This is the kind of love Jesus has for each of us. He chose the ultimate act of selfless love toward us when we were unlovable. We are called to love in the same fashion.
“For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:7-8)
2. We should serve like Jesus.
Most of us are busy working for the Lord, but it’s easy to forget that all of our busyness should be done with an attitude of servitude. Jesus served. We are ministers. Ministers serve. Perhaps our hectic schedules, multitasking and checking all the boxes need to be slowed down in order to take inventory of why we are doing all the things. Is it for a sense of achievement? Position? Recognition? Or is it to be a servant in God’s Kingdom?
“He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.“ (John 13:4-5)
3. We should pray & fast like Jesus.
Although He was God manifest in the flesh, Jesus was indeed a man who had to keep His flesh submitted to the Spirit. He could have lived His life in any way He chose, but too much was at stake. The souls of all mankind hung in the balance, and everyone He crossed paths with had a need. The only way He could fulfill the mission He came for was to stay in prayer and fasting often. It was His habit to wake up early before sunrise to pray. Prayer was the way Jesus was victorious.
“And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.“ (Mark 1:35)
4. We should be compassionate like Jesus.
I love this character trait of Jesus. When He saw hurting, sick, sinful, wayward people, he felt compassion for them. He looked over the city of Jerusalem, and wept with compassion for the lost. He wept at Lazarus’ grave even though He knew He would raise him up. He stopped a funeral procession, and raised a grieving woman’s only son back to life. He fed the multitudes who were faint with hunger. If we want to be disciples of Jesus, we must find a level of compassion for the lost, hungry, sick and wayward.
“But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.“ (Matthew 9:36)
5. We should forgive like Jesus.
No one in history has endured the physical and emotional trauma that Jesus endured. Crucifixion was the most excruciatingly painful death a person could endure. Roman soldiers used it to inflict the maximum level of pain while drawing the process of death out slowly. Not only did Jesus endure the mocking, beating and heinous crucifixion, He did so as an innocent and sinless man, taking on the wages of humanity’s sins. Yet hanging on the cross, weary, wounded, bloody and exposed, He prayed mercy for the soldiers who were inflicting his anguish.
“Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.“ (Luke 23:34)
6. We should be obedient like Jesus.
We want to be obedient to God’s will in all things. When God’s will crosses paths with our personal desires, however, do we always choose His will over ours? Jesus lived a life of obedience to the will of the Spirit even unto death. He was in the prime of his humanity at thirty-three years old. He could have taught more, healed more, traveled more, even married a wife and raised a family. As a man, he no doubt desired those things. Yet, in the garden he prayed, “…nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.”
“And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.“ (Philippians 2:8)
7. We should manifest the fruit of the Spirit Jesus.
Throughout His thirty-three years, Jesus manifested all nine of the fruit of the Spirit to their fullest. In order to have the fruit of the Spirit active in our lives, we must be filled with the Spirit, which Jesus was. These nine manifestations of the Spirit of God should be one of our main goals in life. Not only on special occasions, but as a daily mirror of Jesus’ nature shining through us to a lost world.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)
In Summary
It’s my great desire, and I hope it is yours as well, to be more like Jesus. Being 33 and Jewish sounds like an appropriate life goal for a Christian. (Wink)
Warm Regards In Jesus’ Name!
-Pat-