Imitation involves not only copying external behaviour but also replicating internal motivation. When we imitate Christ, we not only do what He did, such as praying, but also do it for the same reason. Jesus prayed because He loved His Father and those He prayed for (see John 17). We can make the mistake of trying to mimic Christ in actions, but without His motives and character.
We are to have a deep relationship with Christ—a living relationship marked clearly by our obedience, submission, and love for the Lord. Without love, all our actions—no matter how impressive or persuasive—will amount to nothing; they would simply be mimicry. The motivations behind our actions will determine whether we are truly imitating or simply mimicking Jesus. Mimicry arises when there is no living relationship with the Lord—when people try to do things for Him without coming to Him, taking up His yoke, and learning from Him.
How can we grow this living relationship with Jesus? By drawing close to Him; knowing Him, His voice, His character, and His will; seeking to be like Him; and being obedient to Him. That is what it means to love Jesus with all of our hearts.
Our love for Jesus begins as something that no external circumstances can overcome, then grows into constant communion with Jesus, and finally finds fulfilment exclusively in Christ. In other words, our love for Jesus grows when we do not allow external circumstances or internal thoughts and desires to distract us, such that our deepest focus and joy come from our relationship with Him. That is how He loved His Father. When we learn to love Jesus in this way, we will be able to let His love flow out and touch all our relationships with others.
In all that we do, we are to display the love of Jesus. It is this love that enables all our actions to be true imitations of our Lord’s. Jesus said, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love” (John 15:9). He also said, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (13:34). These two instructions make it clear that we are to love the way Jesus loves us, which is the same way the Father loves Him. It is this standard of love that validates all our acts of righteousness and piety.
In order to imitate Christ, we must draw close and walk with Him. We must come under His authority—to submit and obey Him. True obedience arises from and marks the growth of a loving relationship with Jesus (14:15, 21, 23; 1 John 2:3).
Jesus invites you to come close to Him so that you can observe Him carefully. When you read the Gospels and meditate on them deeply, you get a front-row view of Jesus’ life, and you will gain an understanding of how He related to His Father and others, what He prioritised, how He prayed and handled the Scriptures, how He viewed sin and the world, and how He lived selflessly and loved sacrificially. You can then draw upon lessons and examples from His life when examining your own. Are you being criticised? Do you feel isolated? Are you misunderstood? Are you penned in by a hostile crowd? Jesus’ example can help you: soon you will be imitating Him, doing what He did, and feeling what He felt. When enemies torment you, you will be able to pray for them and show love for them. When you are tired, you will find the strength to pray. You will be able to go through life trusting deeply in God. When you are suffering, you will be able to endure, just as Jesus the Suffering Servant endured for your sake.
Intimacy with Christ, identification with Him through baptism (Romans 6:5), and instruction from Him will help us to imitate Him. If we learn well and are true apprentices of Jesus, we will live and act like our great Teacher. As Matthew 10:25 puts it, “It is enough for students to be like their teachers.”
Jesus expects of us what He himself demonstrated in His own relationship with the Father. He imitated His Father perfectly, and is our primary role model. He watched the Father work and did the same. He said, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working . . . whatever the Father does the Son also does” (John 5:17, 19). He also said, “What I have heard from him I tell the world . . . I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me” (8:26, 28). What makes Jesus such a remarkable Teacher is that He perfectly and consistently demonstrated what He taught. He is not just a lecturer, but a Teacher who leads us personally and by example.
Consider this:
What is the difference between imitation and mimicry? In what ways might you be mimicking Jesus rather than imitating Him? Review your words, actions, and thoughts, and see if there are changes you can make in order to truly imitate Jesus in your daily life.
Excerpted and adapted from from Finding Rest for the Soul: Responding to Jesus’ Invitation in Matthew 11:29–29 by Robert M. Solomon. ©2016 by Robert M. Solomon. Used by permission of Discovery House Publishers. All rights reserved.
Related Resources:
The Mind of Christ: Experiencing the Joy of the Christlike Difference. Living a life that is different is one of the challenges all Christians face, one that deserves to be taken seriously. Discover the joyful difference that having the “the mind of Christ” can make in our lives. Find out more here.
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