Divine Human

We all want to become better Christians in our walk with God. But part of that journey is also becoming better human beings.

Our mission is to bring heaven to earth. But we can only do that if we understand what it means to become the human beings God originally designed us to be.

It's more than being a Christian who is human. It's becoming a Jesus human, someone who is truly human and deeply shaped by Jesus.

And it's important to recognize that our growth isn't only spiritual. It's also relational. After all, Jesus embodied both perfectly. He is the ultimate example, without question.

Living this way is a struggle because of our flaws and imperfections. But here's the good news: Change is possible. With Jesus as our role model, we have every reason to hope that we can become better people.

How do we do that?

Author John Mark Comer says, "If you want to experience the life of Jesus, you have to adopt the lifestyle of Jesus."

1. He relied on His Heavenly Father.

Throughout Scripture, Jesus acknowledged the authority of His Father working in Him (John 14:10). He continually sought His Father's will in everything He did (John 5:19) and in every word He spoke (John 12:49).

Like Jesus, we acknowledge our need for God. We remain in Him so that He may remain in us and deepen our walk with Him.

In every hardship and every pain, we embrace the reality that He is with us. We surrender our desired outcomes and allow Him to direct the course of our lives. We yield to His love in everything—even to our very last breath.

2. He lived a lifestyle of humility.

Jesus' life on earth was marked by humility. He chose to be born in a manger, not a palace. Though infinite in power, He willingly became an infant. He spent nearly thirty years living in obscurity before beginning His public ministry. Even then, He washed His disciples' feet, a task reserved for the lowest servant. He exercised His authority by taking on a responsibility that wasn't His to bear, and He did so with humility.

This cultivated a humble confidence. Jesus knew exactly who He was and what He was called to do, yet He remained completely dependent on the Father. He was neither arrogant nor prideful. He was humble, servant-hearted, and secure in His identity. This shaped His radiant spirit and His beautiful heart.

Because of this, we must guard ourselves against pride. Pride destroys us. It leads to disgrace, distances us from God, and grieves His heart.

Only through humility can we learn quickly, love deeply, and sacrifice wholeheartedly.

3. He lived a lifestyle of gratitude.

Jesus regularly expressed gratitude. We see this during the Last Supper (Matthew 26:17-30; Mark 14:12-26; Luke 22:7-30), before feeding the five thousand and the four thousand (Matthew 14:19; Matthew 15:36), before raising Lazarus (John 11:41), and even in the way He taught His disciples to pray (Matthew 6:9-13).

Gratitude is recognizing and appreciating the good gifts God has placed in our lives, whether big or small. It means acknowledging His kindness, noticing the beauty around us, and embracing the simple joys of everyday life. Gratitude cultivates joy, contentment, and hope.

Beyond making us feel thankful, gratitude shapes our character. It nurtures positive emotions that lead to virtuous actions and contributes to our overall well-being.

How do we cultivate gratitude?

Stop. Look. Go.

Stop and become aware of what's around you. Look for reasons to be thankful. Then go and express that gratitude through your words and actions.

4. He lived a missionary lifestyle.

One thing you'll never find in Jesus' earthly life is passivity. He was fully captivated by the Father's purpose and mission. He spoke about it constantly (John 4:34; 6:38-40; 17; Luke 19:10), and He lived every day with intentionality.

We must remember that we are not only forgiven. We are also sent.

Jesus commissioned us to go into all the world, make disciples of all nations, baptize them, and teach them to obey everything He commanded (Matthew 28:18-20). We don't have to wait until we feel ready. We simply go, trusting that the Holy Spirit empowers us and that Jesus is with us always.

As His missionaries, we must become sensitive to God's movement around us. Every place we step into is a mission field. We go with open hearts, willing hands, and ready feet, sharing His love and goodness wherever He leads.

5. He lived a lifestyle of commitment.

Jesus remained fully committed to the mission His Father gave Him despite poverty, hardship, rejection, opposition, and suffering. Because of His unwavering commitment, we now have the opportunity to become the people God created us to be - to become Jesus humans. He did it all for us.

His greatest display of commitment was His love. It is so steadfast that even when we fail miserably, He never stops pursuing us with His grace and love.

We can reflect that same commitment by devoting ourselves to His purposes, His plans, His will, His Kingdom, and His Church.

This means aligning ourselves with God daily. We seek His direction, welcome His correction, surrender our hearts to Him, immerse ourselves in community, trust Him with everything we have, and serve sacrificially.

Commitment matters. Without it, our faith gradually deteriorates.

As we reflect on these five lifestyles, we see that the lifestyle of Jesus shapes every part of who we are - our attitudes, habits, words, actions, perspectives, desires, and convictions. It transforms us from the inside out. If you've been walking with the Lord for some time, this truth will likely resonate with you.

Living as someone who embodies the character, compassion, humility, and love of Jesus profoundly changes both our inner lives and the lives of those around us. It's not simply about faithful devotion. It's about becoming fully alive, fully present, and deeply connected to God and to people.

As we become more like Jesus, we experience true humanity, compassion, mercy, sacrificial love, hope, healing, purpose, and peace.

What better time to begin than now?

Let's embrace the opportunity to reflect who Jesus is, so that others may be drawn to Him through our lives.