A novel I read some time ago contained a story of a town in the USA where a well-known character, called Ike, lived. He had always been known by that name, and no one had bothered to find out his birth name.
One day, his brother moved to the town and was so much like Ike that when people saw him, they mistook him for Ike and called out to him. To avoid this happening, he had a T-shirt printed with the phrase I’M NOT IKE. The outcome was that instead of calling him by his name, he became known as Not-Ike!
It made me consider what it would be like if, as Christians, we were so like Jesus that we had to wear T-shirts that stated I’M NOT JESUS! I appreciate that this is somewhat far-fetched, but wouldn’t it be a wonderful testimony of our relationship with God?
I am frequently challenged as I meet people in different parts of the county and my wife and I say to each other, “I wonder if that person is a Christian?” because of their behaviour. Sometimes, when a bit later, you hear them speak, you may assume they are not, but I am often aware of people who appear so Christ-like in their behaviour, yet do not (yet) have a relationship with God.
Surely, if we are supposed to be like “A city on a hill” that couldn’t hide if it wanted to, our relationship with God should impact others.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, in the words of the poet, please help us to “Be like Jesus, this my song, in the home and in the throng. Be like Jesus, all day long, I would be like Jesus”. AMEN