Becoming Like Jesus

Galatians 4: 18-19 “It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you, my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!”

Listening to the voice of God involves a process of becoming. One level of becoming is to become like Jesus. Paul compares this to the anguish of childbirth (though one does wonder what experience he has in that arena). But Paul’s urgency in this stems from knowing that a likeness to Christ makes it easier for us to hear God’s voice clearly.

Jesus was exceptionally good at hearing his father’s voice. He had a connection to his father, and so he understood things intuitively that those without that connection might find strange or difficult to navigate. As we become more like him, we’ll grow in that connection as well.

It’s sort of like how everyone in your family knows that it’s always grandma’s job to make the apple pie for Christmas. It might be awkward for your new brother-in-law that first year if he accidentally brings an apple pie and rains on grandma’s parade. But as he becomes more like your family, it will become more clear to him that what your family really needs is his gravy recipe. As he becomes more like your family, it will be easier for him to hear and understand the rhythms and traditions of that space.

What do you think it means to become more like Jesus? What might it look like for you to take steps toward that today?