Paul wrote something remarkable to the believers in Corinth:
“And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.” — 1 Corinthians 11:1
What a challenge! Paul was essentially saying, “Look at my life. As you see me following Jesus, follow my example.”
But how do we actually become more like Jesus?
The Christian life isn’t simply about believing the right things. It is about allowing Christ to shape the way we think, speak, respond, love and live.
We will never become Jesus, nor will we become perfect. But we can increasingly reflect His character.
Spend Time With Jesus
We become like the people we spend time with.
If we want to become more like Jesus, we need to spend time with Him.
That happens through prayer, reading God’s Word, worship, reflection and simply learning to recognize His presence throughout our day.
The more we know Jesus, the more we understand His heart.
And the more we understand His heart, the more we begin to reflect it.
Learn to Love Like Jesus
Jesus’ life was characterized by love.
He loved people who were difficult to love. He welcomed those others rejected. He showed compassion to the hurting and gave His attention to people who were often overlooked.
Becoming more like Jesus means allowing His love to influence the way we treat people.
Sometimes that means forgiving someone.
Sometimes it means listening.
Sometimes it means encouraging someone who is discouraged.
Sometimes it means loving someone who cannot do anything for us in return.
Become a Servant
Jesus said:
“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others.” — Mark 10:45
That turns our natural way of thinking upside down.
We often ask, “What can I get?”
Jesus teaches us to ask, “What can I give?”
Look for opportunities to serve your family, your church, your neighbors and the people you encounter every day.
Great spiritual growth often happens through very ordinary acts of service.
Practice Forgiveness
Jesus was remarkably forgiving.
He forgave people who misunderstood Him, rejected Him, betrayed Him and ultimately crucified Him.
Forgiveness doesn’t mean that what happened was acceptable. It means we refuse to allow resentment to take control of our hearts.
Every time we choose forgiveness over bitterness, we are becoming more like Jesus.
Respond to People With Compassion
Jesus noticed people.
He saw the lonely, the sick, the poor, the rejected and the spiritually hungry.
It’s easy for us to become so busy with our own lives that we stop noticing the people around us.
Becoming more like Jesus means slowing down.
Look around.
Who needs encouragement?
Who needs someone to listen?
Who is hurting?
Who might need a simple act of kindness?
Jesus saw people. We should learn to see them too.
Choose Humility
Jesus demonstrated humility in an extraordinary way when He washed His disciples’ feet.
He didn’t need to prove His importance.
He didn’t demand recognition.
He simply served.
The closer we get to Jesus, the less important our need for recognition should become.
Instead of asking, “Does anyone appreciate what I do?”, we can begin asking, “How can I bless someone today?”
Trust God When Life Is Difficult
Jesus experienced rejection, betrayal, suffering and tremendous pressure.
Yet He continued to trust His Father.
Becoming more like Jesus doesn’t mean we will avoid difficult circumstances. It means we learn to respond to those circumstances with greater faith.
When you’re disappointed, ask:
“How can I trust God in this?”
When you’re angry, ask:
“How would Jesus want me to respond?”
When you’re afraid, ask:
“What would it look like for me to trust my Father right now?”
Those questions can transform difficult moments into opportunities for spiritual growth.
Speak Truth With Love
Jesus never compromised truth, but He also never used truth as an excuse to be cruel.
He demonstrated that truth and love belong together.
We can learn to speak honestly without being harsh, to disagree without being disrespectful and to stand for what we believe without treating people as enemies.
Becoming like Jesus means allowing both truth and grace to characterize our lives.
Let the Holy Spirit Change You
Ultimately, becoming more like Jesus isn’t something we accomplish through willpower alone.
The Holy Spirit works within us, changing our attitudes, developing spiritual fruit and gradually shaping our character.
Galatians 5:22–23 describes this fruit as:
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Those qualities look a lot like Jesus.
Our responsibility is to remain close to Him and cooperate with what the Holy Spirit is doing in our lives.
Ask One Simple Question
Perhaps one of the most practical ways to become more like Jesus is to develop a simple question that we ask throughout the day:
“What would Jesus want me to do right now?”
How should I respond to this person?
How should I handle this disappointment?
What should I say?
Should I forgive?
Should I help?
Should I remain silent?
Should I speak?
Should I put someone else’s needs ahead of my own?
These questions help move our faith from something we believe into something we live.
The Goal of Our Christian Life
We will never imitate Jesus perfectly.
But we can become more like Him.
A little more patient.
A little more compassionate.
A little more forgiving.
A little more humble.
A little more generous.
A little more loving.
And as we walk with Him year after year, something wonderful begins to happen.
People begin to see Jesus in us.
That is ultimately what Paul was talking about when he said, “Imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.”
Our goal isn’t merely to know more about Jesus.
Our goal is to become more like Jesus.
