Have you ever wanted to be like someone else? Have you ever copied, mimicked, or emulated someone else’s behavior? Of course, you have. I have!
I remember as a teenager playing on my high school’s varsity tennis team in the 1970’s trying to model my serve after the great John McEnroe. His knife like downward motion leading to his powerful serve launching in him well into the court intercepting the opponents return of serve with a volley put away. The attack transcended the game back then.
Let’s not forget the great Bjorn Borg and his top spin ground strokes. Back then the strategy was to swing the racquet low-to-high creating a natural top spin on the ball causing it to pop higher than normal. This made it more difficult for the opponent to return the ball. But Bjorn had a different most unique roll of the wrist that took the game by storm. He would come across the top of the ball with a flipping or rolling motion of the wrist creating even more dramatic top spin, popping the ball even higher in the air making it most difficult to return. So incredible to watch!
I can still see us on the high school tennis courts for afternoon practice mimicking, or at least trying to copy these two legends.
Tony Robbins, an author, coach and motivational speaker, famed for his personal and professional development insights wrote a book years ago (1986) titled, “Unlimited Power.” Big thick book! The first chapter he said, “Find someone who is in life where you want to be and model what they do.” Great advice! At some point in time we all have tried to model our lives after someone.
As the decades in my life have clicked by, my focus and energy have shifted toward the Divine. I have tightened my grip on what matters most: faith, family and freedom. In my personal journey, the only person I have longed to emulate is the Savior Jesus Christ. Consider His life.
- What an incredible example.
- The only perfect person to walk the earth.
- The Savior and Redeemer of the world.
As my study of His life has deepened, I am in awe at His character, attributes and perfections. Each Sabbath when we partake of the holy sacrament, we covenant to take upon ourselves His name, to obey His commandments and to always remember Him. We pledge to act as He would act, to respond as He would respond. To serve, to listen and to love as He would. No doubt a tall order! But, as we do this we are promised that His Spirit will always be with us. What joy and happiness can come as we pattern our lives this way.
Remember Alma’s counsel to the people of Zarahemla in the Book of Mormon? He challenged them to look unto the day of judgement and ask themselves the following question:
“I say unto you, can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands? I say unto you, can you look up, having the image of God engraven upon your countenances?” Alma 5:19
How can we have His image in our countenance unless we focus our efforts to become like Him?
When visiting the ancient America’s he said, “What manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am.” 3 Nephi 27:27 Think of that! A quest to become like Him. If that is our pursuit then let’s consider the character of Christ.
Chapter six in Preach My Gospel, an LDS study guide for full-time missionaries, discusses the question, “How Do I Develop Christ-Like Attributes?” There is even a wonderful self-assessment to get you started. Click HERE to download.
There are many accounts in the New Testament that give us insight into Christ’s character. Here are just a few.
Satan Tempting Him – Matthew 4
In Matthew 4 after fasting for 40 Days & 40 Nights, being tempted of the devil, Satan said, in my words, “if thou be the Son of God, turn these stones into bread and satisfy your hunger. Throw yourself down from the temple and save yourself for all to see and I will give you all the kingdoms of the earth.” As if Satan had them to give!
Then in Matthew 4:11 we read,
“Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold angels came and ministered unto him.” Matthew 4:11
But, the Joseph Smith Translation (JST) we gain an additional insight. “And now Jesus knew that John was cast into prison, and he sent angels, and, behold, they came and ministered unto him (John).”
What do we learn? Christ turned outward when in all indications he could have turned inward. He was tired, hungry, exhausted, depleted, etc. It would have been understandable that angels would be sent to strengthen Him. But, thanks to the JST we understand more of the story. Amidst this experience, Jesus was thinking of others, namely John! He focused on others when he could have focused on himself. He turned outward rather than inward.
In the Upper Room – The Last Supper and the Sacrament
In the upper room, Christ knew his time was near. Knowing what was coming, the greatest sacrifice of all, He knew what was going to transpire. Yet, thinking of His friends, Christ prayed for the Comforter to accompany them. We read His great intercessory prayer, He prays to the Father for all of us, for oneness, for unity. See John 14-17.
In short, the Savior of the world was thinking of others in the midst of knowing what was coming next; the pain and agony of Gethsemane and then Golgotha. Again, the Savior turns outward instead of inward.
The Garden of Gethsemane
Christ leaves his disciples to watch at the entrance to the garden. His disciples struggle to stay awake. “Could you not watch with me one hour?” he asks. Matt 26:40 Consider the scene. Peter, His lead apostle has now denied him three times. He is then betrayed by Judas. Guards come, and in the scuffle Peter cuts off the guard’s ear and the Savior heals him. Luke 22:50-51
He had been in the garden where he suffered the pain and infirmities of all mankind and bled from every pour. With the cross yet in front of him, He certainly could have been frustrated, angry and impatient. Yet, the Savior turned outward and healed the guard’s ear.
His outward concern for others was consistent in His comments to John to take care of His mother while He hung on the cross. He showed compassion for the guards when he said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
The Savior repeatedly turned outward when He could have turned inward.
The Natural Man is an Enemy to God
But, this is opposite and contrary to the natural man. The natural man turns inward when stressed, pressured or struggling with some challenge. Hungry, tired, the natural man turns to self. Me! Me! Me! Think of the prodigal until he finally came to himself.
King Benjamin said to the saints in Zarahemla,
“For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he……” Mosiah 3:19 (Stay tuned for the rest of verse 19)
Paul said to the Corinthians:
“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Cor 2:14
Plagued with the natural man, how can we emulate the character of Christ? How can we make the change? How can we turn outward, rather than inward.
The First Step of Change: Being Self-Aware
We must recognize the influence of the natural man in each of us. It is on display in our lives each day, but do we notice? In those moments, we must “Catch ourselves, catching ourselves.” What does this mean? It means to catch ourselves when we are exhibiting selfish and self-centered attitudes, opinion and perspectives. The first step of change is to be self aware! Only when we are self-aware can we begin to identify the change required within us.
Remember the movie Hitch, 2005?
Will Smith plays a dating coach Alex Hitchens. At the beginning of the movie he is trying to impress this girl so he sets up a private tour scenario at New York’s Ellis Island. His intention is to impress her by displaying the name of her great grandfather who had passed through Ellis Island over 100 years before. He does this by having a historical registry book under glass opened to the page of the ancestor’s name.
Well, she doesn’t react positively (I guess the ancestor was a horse thief or something) and instead she has a terrible visceral, angry reaction and runs out of the room crying in distress. Alex the character, then turns to Larry, the Park Ranger with the unforgettable line, “I saw that going differently in my mind.”
Catching Ourselves
When we focus on catching ourselves, we might reflect, “I could have reacted better in that situation.” Or “I think I could have been more patient.” With this mindset, now we are at the door of a never ending, yet exciting journey to overcoming the natural man. We suppress what might be a natural tendency to judge, criticize or blame and pause for a more Christ-like response.
Jack McCarthy, a long time boss of mine in Boston 30 years ago used to say, “We have seen the enemy and it’s us.” So, true that we are often the cause of our own problems. My Mission President in the Philippines Islands 40 years ago often said, “Be careful when you point the finger at someone because you have three more pointing right back at you.”
I have learned that as we desire to change the natural man within us, our level of self-awareness increases. As our awareness increase our effectiveness at marshaling personal change increases. Make the decision to be more introspective. As you do, you will experience a feeling of renewal each day as you reach for higher ground.
A Focus on Becoming
Can we truly call ourselves Christians if we are not on a personal quest of becoming? Of course the road of discipleship is not an easy one. It is fraught with many twists and turns. But with faith in Christ and constant repentance we can improve each day. It may take a lifetime and beyond, but oh the joy in the journey.
Let’s read the rest of King Benjamin comments as he gives insight into how to conquer the natural man.
“For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticing’s of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.” Mosiah 3:19
If we desire to change, we bring a broken heart and a contrite spirit. We lay it on the altar of the Lord and decide to embrace His sacrifice. What He did in the garden and on the cross becomes personal to us. As we listen to the Holy Spirit and follow His promptings we are turning toward Him. We can decide to act rather than be acted upon, to catch ourselves and change.
The Savior said,
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
Many believe this is harder than it truly is, to emulate Christ-like behavior. I have found that the hard part is deciding to submit, meaning to let go. We have to be willing to give up! To surrender. To say, “Not my will, but your will Lord.”
It Will Take Time
As we persist in a journey of selfless change, our progress can often be slow and sometimes painful.
I always chuckle at the story of my young nephew James McKell, when he turned five years old. Over 20 years ago my Brother Matthew and his family stayed with us in Riverside, California on their way to a week at the beach and Disneyland. Sleeping in a sleeping bag on the floor of our guest room, James leaped up early in the morning of his birthday and with his hands outstretched loudly said while examining his body, “I don’t feel any bigger!”
Again, sometimes we can’t see the changes that are happening in our lives. They often occur slowly taking months or years to feel or see the full transformation, but I testify that it does occur. He promises us, “Draw near unto me, and I will draw near unto you.” It takes faith and time for us to see progress, but the rewards will come and we will feel His presence.
As we celebrate the birth of the Son of God and turn the page to another year, let us focus on becoming.
Who will you seek to become this year?
A wonderful journey of self-discovery and becoming lays before us. Let us reach for a higher and holier cause. With all the distractions and enticements the world has to offer, lets us choose to emulate the master, even the Master Jesus Christ.
Have a wonderful 2025!