CHRISTIAN

"The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch." (Acts 11:26) A descriptive word that shorten the title of disciple/follower of Christ to Christian - person who is Christ-like.

What does it mean to strive to be Christ-like? The majority of Christ's life was filled with acts of compassion. God is love (1 John 4:8). If believers will find more ways to display God's Christ-like love, then a plethora of wrongs will be smoothed over. 1 Peter 4:8 says, "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." 

How do we accomplish this Christ-like love on a daily basis? As a daily barometer, we replace the word "love/it" with our name in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.

• Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

So mine would read....

• Chad is patient, Chad is kind. Chad/he does not envy, he does not boast, he is not proud. He does not dishonor others, he is not self-seeking, he is not easily angered, he keeps no record of wrongs. Chad does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. He always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

I can tell you right now, I have several to work on. But that is o.k., I am a work-n-progress. My glorified self is not manifested yet. "I'm not want I'm gonna be, I'm not what I wanna be, but thank God I'm not what I was." (Higher Ground lyric) This is what it means to be a piece of "clay" on the "Potter's Wheel" - for God to mold us more into a Christ-like image so much that Jesus is seen more than ourselves. When we submit to His molding, I believe God will bless our creativity and it will erupt allowing us to find and develop more ways to love. That is what it means to become Christ-like. That is what it means to become love. That is what it means to be Christian.