Christlikeness
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The young son of a humble, devoted preacher became ill. After the boy had undergone an exhaustive series of tests, the doctor told the father the bad news that his son had a terminal illness. The youngster was a Christian and that made a big difference to his father. His father prayed much and then went with a heavy heart to the hospital and his son’s beside. There he gently told him that the doctors could promise him only a few more days to live. “Son,” his father asked, “Are you afraid to meet Jesus?” Blinking away a few tears, the little fellow said bravely, “No, not if He’s like you, Dad.”
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Christlikeness, that’s what our friends and neighbors need to see out of us. At the end of each year a preacher asked his congregation, “Beloved, as we come to the end of another year, have we become more like Jesus?
Are we Christianlike in our compassion? The only thing some congregations emphasize is Church attendance. Frankly, I don’t see why any person who calls himself a Christian would not want to go to Church, but Church attendance alone won’t save anyone. There is ten times more in the New Testament about our Lord’s Compassion than there is about going to Synagogue on the Sabbeth. Here is how John discussed real love and compassion; “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:18). People who never miss a service but don’t practice compassion must not have been listening to the preacher. Go ahead and love in word and tongue, but not in deed and truth and see what it gets you. A congregation that can’t see beyond its own doorstep is not a congregation of the Lord.
Are we Christlike in our forgiveness? Christ even prayed for His murders, while on the cross He prayed, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:39).
“Forgiveness is better than revenge, for forgiveness is the sign of a gentle nature, but revenge is the sign of a savage nature.” – Epictetus
