Who do you look up to?

As humans, we all look to someone’s life and actions to learn from them. Children observe their fathers and mothers in order to learn how to deal with life’s many challenges. Many children don’t get the privilege of having both of their parents present with them due to unforeseen circumstances, so they look to an aunt, uncle, brother, sister, or foster parent for the needed mentorship. However, the greatest mentorship we can get is looking unto Jesus. He is our perfect mentor. He is the true author and finisher of our faith. He teaches us what true faithfulness, maturity, love, peace, joy, respect, faith and family is. He is the door to the Heavenly Father. It is by His sacrifice that we were adopted into His family. He teaches us what a true, mature and righteous man is and does. He is the finisher of our faith. In other words, He helps us throughout our lifetime in all of our difficulties and challenges, and by His Spirit, continually strengthens our faith so that we can make it to the finish line of life in victory! Yes, we all look up to someone in life, but the perfect model and mentor is the Lord Jesus Himself. Look to Him. He is the author and finisher of your faith!

Hebrews 12:2 “looking away from all that will distract us and] focusing our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfecter of faith [the first incentive for our belief and the One who brings our faith to maturity], who for the joy [of accomplishing the goal] set before Him endured the cross, disregarding the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God [revealing His deity, His authority, and the completion of His work]”.

But do you care about me?

When the Lord Jesus willingly went to the cross for all of humanity, He was revealing the highest level of love and care in all of history. He had previously washed all of the disciples feet and then taught them to wash each other’s feet. This spoke of the importance of serving and caring for one another. 1 Corinthians 12:25 says: “that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another”. As we receive a clear revelation of the love of God, not just that He loves us, but that He also loves “through” us, we will realize that as we love each other, it’s as the Lord Himself is loving through us. Jesus said if we were to give even a cup of water to one of His “little ones,” it was as if we were serving it to Him. The world wants to know what can we do for them. But the higher call is how can the love of Christ be revealed through each of us today!

Phillipians 2:4 (ERV) “Don’t be interested only in your own life, but care about the lives of others too”.