Today, after checking my email, I came across a message from one of the blog’s readers.
The person asked me the following question: How can we imitate Jesus if we don’t see Him?
I liked your question because it is a genuine, real, basic and in many cases unattended question.
Based on the response I gave to his email, I took the opportunity to write a blog post as well.
The first thing I would like to say is that indeed imitating Jesus is the privilege that has been given to us human beings.
The possibility of developing the maximum human potential with which God endowed us.
To be the best possible version of ourselves, by aspiring to be as the best possible ideal.
Jesus.
The Bible presents this idea frequently in passages such as:
He who says he abides in him must walk as he walked.
1 John 2:6
In passages like the above, we can see that there is a direct relationship between imitating Jesus and knowing Him.
This is why the answer to the question: How to imitate Jesus if we do not see him? Is that to imitate him, we need to know him.
As we get to know him little by little, we will admire him more and more, noticing our weaknesses and long for his strengths.
This is a barely natural process, because when we admire someone, we tend to emulate that person.
Now, the question would be, how can you know Jesus.
I’d like to talk to you about three ways I know we can do that.
Knowing Jesus through the Bible
The first is to know him through the Bible, especially the gospels.
My favorite book among the gospels is the gospel according to St. John.
I have come to see Jesus in such a special and intimate way in his pages that on some occasions I have had to cry when I read it.
To get to know Jesus, I also recommend this book as a complementary reading to the bible one.
It further explains many of the bible stories about Jesus.
I challenge you to read the first chapter and tell me how you are doing.
It’s very nice.
Knowing Jesus through the Spirit of God.
The second way I can advise you to know Jesus, and thus imitate him, is through the Spirit of God.
The Bible states:
And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:18
When we draw near to God through Jesus, the Spirit of God guides us.
Through his influence, He reveals to us the true character of God.
That influence of the Holy Spirit, showing us God through Jesus, makes us relate intimately to Him and know Him beyond the intellectual.
May we know him in the field of a personal and intimate relationship.
By knowing Him personally, beyond abstract ideas and concepts, we can enjoy Him and love Him more.
Knowing Jesus by spending time with Him.
It also allows us to cultivate the third way of knowing Jesus to imitate Him.
Spending time with Him.
As we have said, we cannot imitate someone we do not know.
To meet someone, we need to spend time with that person.
We believers spend time with Jesus in prayer, telling him how we feel, telling him what we want, what bothers or worries us, talking to him about our ideas and aspirations.
That quality time has an impact on an ever-deepening relationship, knowledge, and enjoyment of God.
I hope these words have been a blessing to your life.
And what do you think? Would you like to imitate Jesus? Share it in the comments.
A hug, God bless you.
