To Be Like Christ

This post will be a bit longer than usual, a bit different, too-not the normal flowers 'n blessings (although it has flowers and has been my blessing!). So please bear with me.

I was once told by someone that I needed to be more like Christ. I'd have to agree on that point, I do need to be that. We all need to! But the reason this person said that was because I was publicly bringing it to their attention that certain doctrines they were embracing were not Biblical. I guess they thought that we should be accepting of all doctrines, no matter what they are, kind of  the "let's live in love and peace since we're all God's children" sort of thing.

Anyway, that got me to thinking quite a bit about the subject of being like Christ. There are several Bible verses which mention this idea (or command), one being I Peter 2:21: "For even unto this were ye called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps." I'm not here to give a Bible study, although certainly ample time could be spent examining this subject. But I just want to point out that being like Christ is not just "love, joy and peace". It is also confrontation, rightous anger and defense of God's Name, Word, doctrines and morals!

In light of this, I recently did a study of Matthew, the first book of the Gospels which tell about the life of Christ. I listed every verse which told about Christ doing the above things, things which we normally think of as negative. There were at least 75 verses or occasions where Jesus was "negative" in His actions and words to others. And that was just the record of one book!

Should we be like Christ? You bet! Not only should we show the love and kindness that He certainly had, but we should also have His courage and strength of character to confront sin, show righteous anger and defend His Word and Name.
                                              
 May He give us wisdom to know how to be like Him,
 to do what He would do.

"Behold, I send you forth as sheep
     in the midst of wolves:
  Be ye therefore wise as serpents
    and harmless as doves."        
(Matthew 10:16)