Are You Jesus?

“Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.”

1 Corinthians 11:1  


It’s not hard to imagine young mothers trying to make the most of the time they have with their children being home from school due to the coronavirus doing something like the mom in the following story. Carol was a mother of two boys, Johnathon who was seven and Bobby, his younger brother who was four. As mom fixed pancakes she put the first two on the counter between the boys. Immediately Johnathon, the older of the two grabbed the pancakes and started in. Thinking this would make for a teachable moment to teach the boys about preferring others, she moved the plate back between her sons. With their full attention she said to her older son, “Johnathon, don’t you think Jesus would prefer his brother and let him have the first batch of pancakes?” Johnathon and Bobby just looked at each other for a moment and then Johnathon picked up the plate and said, “Bobby, you be Jesus.”  

If there ever has been a time in human history where most all of us have had the opportunity to be Jesus to other people, the coronavirus has provided us that chance. Maybe it is at the grocery store or wherever you buy toilet paper. Can you imagine waiting in line for an hour to get in the store to buy toilet paper, only to find the last 42 pack is within your grasp as you pass the elderly women who isn’t quite as fast at pushing her basket but was trying her best to get to it. You were there first, its yours! What would Jesus do?

The story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 11 gives us a glimpse. Jesus had just explained to a certain lawyer who sought to test him what was required to inherit eternal life. The lawyer stated in short, love God and love your neighbor, and Jesus said to him, "You have answered rightly; do this and you will live." Wanting to justify himself the lawyer asked Jesus, “who is my neighbor?” Jesus then tells the story of the Good Samaritan who comes across the man who was robbed, beaten and left for dead on the road to Jericho. A priest and a levite had seen the man and crossed the road to get as far away as possible when they passed by. A Samaritan man comes along and cares for the mans wounds then takes him to a local inn and pays the innkeeper to care for the man and promises when he comes back through town in a couple days he will pay him more if needed. Jesus asked the lawyer which one of the three was a neighbor to the injured man to which the lawyer responded, “the one who showed mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

None of us can serve everybody but we can all serve somebody. Jesus teaching of the Good Samaritan instructs us that our neighbors are those we cross paths with as we go about our business each day. We might not find an injured person on the side of the road to care for but here is something we all can do every day, “Do for one what you wish you could do for others.” Be prayerful today, loved one, be intentional and watch the doors that the Lord opens for you to show your love for Him by showing His love to others.


“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

John 13:35

I LOVE YOU!

Michael Osthimer

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