I Wanna Be Like Mike

Cassie Downs,

Christian Blogger

In 1991, Gatorade released a commercial starring American professional basketball star, Michael Jordan. Gatorade sold the idea that if you drank Gatorade like Mike, you would somehow become like Mike. And back then, who didn’t want to be like Michael Jordan? He had it all and everyone wanted to be like the basketball phenomenon. Even I owned a pair of Air Nike’s, ate my Wheaties, and drank Gatorade. And with the giant increase in revenue, moving from around $680 million a year to over $1 billion within the first year of this commercial, it was obvious everyone wanted to be like Mike.

My cousin Jacob had his own obsession with Michael Jordan. He was one of the biggest fans of Jordan I’ve ever known. He recently told me how as a teenage basketball player himself, he would spend hours watching Michael’s videos, trying to mimic the way he would walk down the court, which arm he wore his sweatband on, drinking Michael’s favorite flavor of Gatorade — citrus by the way. Jacob said he even got to enjoy Jordan’s pregame meal*. He also mentioned the way Jordan would stick his tongue out for a reverse layup and how much he wanted to emulate this. He was Michael Jordan’s biggest fan, at least in his own eyes.

Isn’t it interesting how much energy we put into trying to be like other people? I can remember a few years ago, there was an author whose work I really loved. She was a social media star, and I was convinced if I could start fixing myself up every day, get some hair extensions (which I never did by the way), get my nails done, and my eyelashes lengthened, then surely I’d gain some followers too and more people would fall in love with my books, because surely the extensions would make all the difference (insert eye roll).

Thankfully, the Lord got ahold of my heart and my motives before I went mad. But I think this is where a lot of us are. We are trying to become like Mike, like this author, like our neighbor, because we aren’t really sure who or whose we really are. But if we take a deeper look into scripture, we can find that it’s Christ who we as Jesus’ followers belong to and are called to be like.

“God knew them (us) before he made the world. And he decided that they would be like his Son. Then Jesus would be the firstborn of many brothers and sisters.” — Romans 8:29 ERV (parenthesis mine)

“Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.” So God created man in his own image; he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female.” — Genesis 1:26-27 CSB

Friend, God did not create me to be like some cute little author who appears to have it all together. He did not create Jacob to be like Michael Jordan. You are not created to be like her, whoever she is. You were made in the image of God and you are called to take on the likeness of Jesus. To put on His character. Remember Psalm 23, In Christ we lack nothing. In Christ we are clothed in everything we need to walk through this life and to invite people to come on this Jesus journey with us. It is Christ’s image, His character displayed in us, that draws people to Him.

In the book of First Samuel we come across the story of Israel’s request for a king. They were upset because Samuel’s sons had not turned out the way Israel hoped and rather than trusting God to provide; they demanded a king. Samuel warned them that a king could enslave them (1 Samuel 8: 11-17) but Israel refused to listen.

“The people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We must have a king over us. Then we’ll be like all the other nations: our king will judge us, go out before us, and fight our battles.” Samuel listened to all the people’s words and then repeated them to the Lord. “Listen to them,” the Lord told Samuel. “Appoint a king for them.” Then Samuel told the men of Israel, “Each of you, go back to your city.”” — 1 Samuel 8:19-22 CSB

God’s people rejected Him, and He gave them what they wanted, but it wasn’t what they needed. They needed to lean on and depend on their creator. They needed to act like the chosen people they were, not act like all the other nations. God did not create them to be like other nations. God created them and set them apart, to be like Him. To live and act differently than everyone else. To be holy because He is holy! To make a difference in their world, but He found few that were faithful.

Bad Connection

Have you ever made a call, only to experience a really annoying poor connection? You’re trying to talk to the person on the other end of the call, but you just can’t seem to get through clearly. This is us sometimes with Jesus. We want Him. We want to bear His image, to be like Him, but our connection is sometimes poor. And if we are not securely connected to Jesus, the vine (John 15) we end up living, acting, and doing the work of the flesh.

If you’re reading this, you’re most likely already a follower of Jesus**. But how is your connection? Are you getting through? Is the connection poor and spilling into your character at work? How about at the grocery store, the school pickup line***, or what about at home? Are you bearing the fruit that Galatians 5 speaks of? Is what you produce edible and life giving to those around you? Or are you feeding them the fake stuff?

If we are called to bear the image of God, to be like Jesus, then we will bear His fruit. We will take on the character traits that make up the image of Jesus. In Galatians we see a long list of both the work of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit. Paul is writing to the church at Galatia and is trying to teach them to recognize whose likeness they are walking in. Whose character they are clothed in. He starts with the work of the flesh.

“Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I am warning you about these things — as I warned you before — that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”—Galatians 5:19-21 CSB

Ouch. This is a pretty extensive list and if I’m being honest, there are things on this list I’m not proud to admit I struggle with. Does this ruin my witness of Christ? It can. And to take it a step farther, if you read verse twenty-one again you’ll see that the work of the flesh can keep you from inheriting the kingdom of God.

I know. Not the pep talk you were hoping for.

Stay with me. Let’s take a moment and look at the word practice here. Practice in the Greek is the word prasso, and it means to do something habitually. To make a habit of and even to abide in.

Is your flesh problem a lifestyle? Are you abiding in the works of the flesh or in the Vine, Jesus? When we live a lifestyle of the flesh, the warning is ours. Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But what if you had a bad day and yelled at one of your kids? Or noticed your friend’s new car and got a little envious?

Repent.

Talk to Jesus.

Confess your sin and your need for Him.

Turn to God and from the flesh. Rely on Him to clothe you in His character for your life.

And can I just point this truth out. You can not hide the works of the flesh. Scripture is plain, it says the works of the flesh are obvious. So take inventory of your life if you aren’t sure. One look at this list and a motive check of your heart and you’ll quickly determine if you are living for Jesus or your flesh and its desires.

The Big But

I love big buts! Not the but you just giggled about. The conjunction, but. And in the off chance you skipped grammar or were like me and nearly failed it. Let me explain what a conjunction is. And if you’ve already begun to sing the Conjunction Junction jingle, go ahead and get it out of your system. I’ll wait.

Better?

Good.

Conjunctions let us know that there is something else to be said. They are words such as; and, but, and or. Look at the big but in Galatians 5.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.”—Galatians 5:22-25 CSB

The CLD (Cassie Lynn Downs) paraphrase puts verse 25 this way — If we live by the Spirit, let us also be like the Spirit. Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t always exert as much energy becoming like Jesus as I do the popular author I mentioned. I read Galatians 5, and it’s clear and great teaching, but I often go on trying to become like me, like Mike, like the world, rather than becoming like the one I claim to follow. Let’s be real, it seems easier to become like the world than it is to become like Jesus. It’s effortless to “do” me, in a “you do you boo” kind of world. It’s easy to lose my mind on the telephone with the lady in A Woman with Issues. To go rage monster in the traffic line, and lose my cool with my kids.

Do you know what I think the problem is for most of us? We have big buts.

I wholeheartedly believe we long to experience the character of Christ in our life. We want to love and be loved; we want to be joyful and to experience joy; we to be shown patience and to extended patience; we want to live in the goodness of God; we want to be faithful and reap faithfulness; we want to give grace and receive grace and who doesn’t want to experience self-control? BUT are we willing to fully connect to the vine and be clothed in His character. We hope to experience the fullness of God, but without Him fully taking up residence in our hearts.

Friends, there are many people you can choose to become, but there is no one like Jesus. Connected to Jesus you will experience fullness of life, you will become the you He has purposed you to become. But this will not happen by trying hard enough to clean up your life. It happens when you surrender and rely on Him. Trying hard enough will leave you empty and frustrated bearing false fruit. Relying on Him will produce real and lasting fruit. Fruit that will feed the hungry around you and fill your life with meaning and purpose. It’s time to get connected to the source of life and allow Him to work in and through you.

*Steak and French fries in case you were wondering.

** If you aren’t a follower of Jesus, now’s the perfect time to make it happen. Why wait? Call me at 573-718-8527 I’d love to help walk you through asking Jesus to be Lord of your life.

*** Road-rager, I feel you.