Fear No Fear

“For to this you were called, because Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:” (1 Peter 2:21, MEV). God loves us enough to give us a mirror. One of the best, most awesome things about Jesus is that although He is completely and totally God, He is also man. He became exactly what we are. A human in nature, ability, and reality. He was just like us. He was tempted like us. Same feelings came on Him. Same situation types came on Him. Same opportunities to choose Himself and reject God came on Him. It happened in small ways and in big ways. He was ignored by people, mocked, teased, abandoned, betrayed, loved, cared for, and everything in between. He had to flee from His homeland. He had to walk everywhere. He had people helping Him. He had people trying to discredit and destroy His work. He got invitations to fancy places and He was scorned. He had fellowship and friendship. He was challenged and argued with everywhere He went. He had a lot of money coming in and was able to bless people wherever He went. He had a lack of ability to pay for what He needed to in order to care for everyone around Him. He had good clothes and a home of His own. He didn’t have spare sandals or an extra bag. He had a calling to ministry and big things. He worked with His hands and was exhausted from time to time. Jesus experienced everything that we do at one point of His life or another. He knows what life is like. He knows our struggles. He knows what the ‘deal’ is. He was persecuted for loving and preaching God. He was attacked for living life. He had the best of times and the worst of times. He was just like us. He is our example. He is our mirror. Because of Him and His sacrifice, we can choose to be like us or we can choose to live in Him. What do you want looking back at you from the mirror? Your efforts or His? Will you let Him live through you, or are you going to insist on living in your own strength? He knows what you’re going through. He knows the way to go. He knows the behaviour you need to walk through. He knows. And He’ll guide you. He is more than a reflection. He is a shepherd. He can get you through it. He can get you above it so that you can see it like He does. He is our mirror, but it’s an active two-way mirror. Let Him live through you. Let Him guide your steps. You can trust Him. He knows what it’s like and He loves you SO MUCH.