Thoughts from The Bible

Thoughts from the Bible

Wednesday, 26 May 2021 06:25

To be like Jesus
by Terry Broome

I can’t help but think of what a wonderful world this would be if more people were to determine “To Be Like Jesus.” We can’t force this upon people, but we can determine for ourselves that we’ll strive to be like Him more and more each day. I was thinking along this line in the reading of Matthew 9:35-38, “And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. 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. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.”

To be like Jesus we must learn to SEE AS JESUS SAW. Jesus looked out on a world full of sin and the weariness that still surrounds mankind today, but he saw a harvest that was plenteous. You and I might see rejects but He saw potential Kingdom subjects. He saw potential while we mostly see the obstacles. He saw precious souls, and we too often see inconveniences. When Jesus looked out over the multitude, He saw sheep having no shepherd. That very well describes the condition much of our world is in today. So many suffer from a lack of guidance. Masses fail to find anyone who can actually lead them to the place of green pastures and quiet waters. How badly the world needs a shepherd. How badly we must see them in that sheperdless condition and point them to Jesus.

In order to be like Jesus, we also must FEEL AS JESUS FELT. He was moved with compassion on them. Our temptation is more in keeping with the apostles who wanted to send them away before time to feed them. Jesus was touched with the feelings of their infirmities. Sometimes when we see a tragedy it stirs a feeling within us, but all too often we go our way and dismiss the matter. We’re more comfortable when we don’t think about such things. When we see sin in its sordid display, we could very easily get used to it and no longer be moved over the sinner who has lost His way. Until we feel as Jesus felt, we’ll not consistently offer the saving Gospel to those who need it the worst – the Lost.

We so badly need to PRAY AS JESUS PRAYED. He not only poured his own heart out to the Father on behalf of a bunch of raw recruits known as the apostles, but he encouraged them to “Pray ye the Lord of harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest.” We need to cultivate the behavior pattern of constantly praying that God will not only send laborers, but that he will help each of us to be the laborers. We need to pray for doors of opportunity to come our way, and then we need to open our eyes to these opportunities to tell others about Jesus. How often we just go our way never mentioning the Lord, salvation, the church, or our interest in helping the lost to find these.

Then we need to put into practice the very principles Jesus lived by. We must DO AS JESUS DID. He took the time to minister to these people and to preach to them. You and I can’t heal them with miracles, but we can minister to them both physically and spiritually in their diseases. Peter tells us that Jesus “went about doing good.” The world would be a better place if these principles were put into our lives. As God’s family, we must adopt them in hopes that others may see Jesus living in us.
The author can be reached for comments at 256-574-2489.