ChristLIKE or not really so much, Day 314

A blue glass appears to be blue when light shines through it because it absorbs all other colors and thus does not let them pass. This is to say, we call a glass "blue" precisely because it does not retain the blue waves. It is named not for what it possesses but for what it gives out. -Erich Fromm

The three year old classroom that I teach Sunday school in is filled with fire fighting articles. The boys love playing fire fighters. One of the boys in particular gets quite excited about the game. He never tires of it. Andrew steps his 3 year old little legs into the full size fireman boots which come all the way up to his waist. He picks out just the right hat for extinguishing fires; the black one with the plastic face mask. There aren't fire pants or coats in the class so he's content to sling over his shoulders a florescent orange safety vest that's about 100 sizes to big. After he's fully suited he and the other little boys decide which part of our room is on fire and which baby doll needs saving. The little fire fighter hobbles towards the imaginary flames in the huge boots while holding a pretend hose and thoroughly douses the blaze. It's a fun game and if Andrew's passion for extinguishing fires grows as he does then maybe he'll be a fireman one day. But anyone in their right mind could take one glimpse at the child and know that he isn't a fire man. He's a kid dressed in silly attire playing a game.

Today as I was thinking upon Christians attempting to be Christlike I instantly pictured that one enthusiastic three year old boy from Sunday school. We can try and try with all our might to by Christlike but the reality is that none of us are even close to actually being like Him. We much more resemble a child dressed in silly clothing than anything even remotely like the real genuine thing. If Jesus hadn't sacrificed Himself for all of mankind so that our mismatched messy totally unauthentic clothing could be traded in for spotless white garments worn only by heavenly royalty well there'd be no point whatsoever in even attempting to be Christlike. There'd never be any attaining it. Fortunately He did give Himself for us ALL. And we can attempt to be like Him (even though none of us are) because that's exactly what He instructed us to do.

The point I'm trying to arrive at is that we aren't like Christ and it would be silly for anyone to claim so. However, a lot of Christians myself included act like the baby doll is really going to die because of the fake flames if we make one small mistake and aim the pretend hose in the wrong direction. I'm pretty sure that's called shame. And I'm pretty sure that's a lie from the father of lies. And I'm pretty sure the baby doll isn't going to die (and isn't capable to) from the fake fire because of our mistakes.

Every last one of us needs to try our absolute hardest to be like Christ. That's what He asked us to do. But none of us are Christ and that's okay. I'm pretty sure that God loves me because I'm me. I'm not supposed to be Jesus. Kind of like how Andrew's parents don't love him because he tries so hard to be a good firefighter. His parents love him because he's their son. A blue glass looks blue because it doesn't retain blue. It absorbs every color but blue. A Christian will never really be Christlike BUT we can reflect Christ. You aren't perfect. I'm not perfect. You aren't Jesus and I'm not either. But I am me, and you're you and that's okay.