5 Ways to Walk Like Jesus

When it comes to finishing up the school year (which happens for us on May 31st), there tends to be a lot of testing going on. Whether it’s final exams or other end-of-the-school-year testing, it’s time to see how much our kids have learned over the past nine months.

Testing is basically just an evaluation of how you measure up to a certain standard. That must have been on my mind this week as I was reading in 1 John. I came to the verse below and realized that it gives us the basis for a spiritual test.

“He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked.” ~1 John 2:6

If we claim to abide in Christ, we have a way to examine whether or not that’s true. How do we know if we pass that test? By asking ourselves, are we walking (i.e. living our life) like Jesus did?

That naturally leads us to ask ourselves, how did Jesus walk? What characterized His life that should also be a part of ours?

Here’s what came to my mind.

1. He had compassion.

“And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.” ~Matthew 14:14

“And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.” ~Luke 7:13

Jesus had compassion on the multitudes as well as individuals. His heart was easily moved to concern for the sufferings of others.

Then Jesus went beyond just the feeling of sympathy. He did what He could for them by His actions and His words. Obviously, we can’t heal someone’s physical illness. But we can take them a meal, run an errand, or do their laundry. We can pray for them and speak or write words of encouragement.

2. He sought to do the Father’s will.

“For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.” ~John 6:38

“Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” ~Luke 22:42

There are certain things we know to be God’s will. To give thanks in everything [1 Thessalonians 5:18], submit to authority [1 Peter 2:13-15], and keep our bodies pure [1 Thessalonians 4:3-6] are clearly presented in the Bible as being the will of God for us.

And as we read His Word, He will reveal to us how He would have us to live. Through prayer and the leading and power of the Holy Spirit, we can also seek to do God’s will like Jesus did.

3. He interacted with people that others avoided.

“Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.” ~Luke 15:1-2

“And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David. And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more…So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.” ~Matthew 20:30-34

Jesus didn’t run from the sinners, the outcasts, the diseased, or the disgraced. He ministered to them. So God calls us to have grace and offer help to anyone He puts in our path.

4. He was humble and served others.

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” ~Philippians 2:5-8

“After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.” ~John 13:5

The ultimate act of humility was Jesus leaving heaven to come to earth, live as a man, then submit Himself to death on the cross to accomplish our salvation.

In the passage above, Paul instructs us to have a humble mind like Christ did. That will then lead us to serve others through our actions. Jesus, son of God and Creator of all, took on the lowly task of washing the disciples’ feet, setting an example for us to follow.

5. He prayed often.

“And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.” ~Mark 1:35

“And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.” ~Matthew 14:23

Y’all, prayer is hard work. It takes a focused mind. I honestly find it easier to read my Bible and do my journaling than to pray. I have the desire to pray, but not always the self-discipline. But if I’m going to walk as He walked, I must make prayer a priority in my life.

We are not perfect like Jesus was. That means we won’t follow through on these things one hundred percent of the time. But with the Holy Spirit’s help, our lives can be characterized by them. We can continually grow in walking as Jesus did.

Can you think of other ways in which we can walk as He walked?

Related posts:

• 4 Ways We Can Love Like Jesus
• Do You Have Fair-Weather Faith?
• 5 Bible Promises to Pray Over Your Life Today