Little Christs

Then John agreed to his baptism. Jesus came straight out of the water afterwards, and suddenly the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God coming down like a dove and resting upon him. And a voice came out of Heaven saying, “This is my dearly-loved son, in whom I am well pleased.”

– Matthew 3:16-17

Early followers of Jesus were called Little Christs because their newfound faith had transformed their lives for all to see. This odd group of people from all walks of life — rich and poor, male and female, slave and free — were markedly different from the rest of society. They somehow had grown more caring and generous toward both neighbors and strangers alike, and they willingly sacrificed their time and resources to ease sorrow and correct injustice. Ultimately, they had abandoned their old, selfish tendencies in favor of something much greater.

In a word, they were changed.

And that says a lot for their leader — an obscure rabbi from a distant corner of the Roman Empire who just happened to be God’s own Son. Few recognized that at the time. But because some did and led changed lives while following Jesus, millions in future generations would in turn help to change the world for the better.

Modern-day Christ-followers like you and me must also set aside their selfish desires in favor of following Jesus’ example of righteousness. And like those first disciples transformed by the words of the Sermon on the Mount, we, too, should recognize that Jesus the leader was also Jesus the follower. Christ spoke constantly with his Father (God) in prayer and always sought his guidance:

“I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing,” explains Jesus, “because whatever the Father does the Son also does.”

It’s a radical approach that’s just as life-changing today as it was 2,000 years ago. And it’s also one that calls for personal action, commitment, and sacrifice. So whether you’ve followed Jesus for five years or 55, grasp every opportunity to become more like him, walk in his ways, and see the world through his eyes. And ask God to work through you with the Holy Spirit — that personal, loving Power, who makes it possible to leave your old self behind and become a new creation.

It’s change that makes a difference. And eventually, through the trials of life and the whispers of his leadings, we’ll become the faithful servant-leaders that Jesus desires us to be.