What do you think of when you hear that phrase? When someone is trying to be "Christ
like" what comes to your mind? They
are trying to be like Jesus? They are
trying to be good?
In the book "The Midwife" by Jennifer Worth, she
tells us about Sister Evangelina. She
was a nun who was a home nurse to the very poor in London in the 1950's. She was gruff, not at all polite, and had a
crude sense of humor. She was the
opposite of the sweet nurse nun. The
people (Docklanders , Cockneys) loved her despite this. They called out to her in the streets when
they saw her, "Mornin', Sister Evie!"
The author was trying to understand why they admired her so much. Then this is what she writes, "I ceased to be startled, because I
realised that this was what the patients loved about her. She approached them all without a trace of
sentimentality or condescension. The
older Docklanders were accustomed to
meeting middle-class do-gooders, who deigned to act graciously to
inferiors. The Cockneys despised these
people, but Sister Evangelina had no patronising airs and graces. She would have been incapable of them. She was unswervingly honest, and reacted to
every person without guile or affection. "
She became one of them, even though she was not a Cockney. She never looked down on them or esteemed
herself as better than those she served.
Those she helped never felt intimidated, less than, or judged by
her. They welcomed her help. Shouldn't we all serve in the way Sister
Evangelina did?
When someone says they are trying to do the Christ like
thing, I think they have good intentions, but it can sometimes have a
self-righteous tone to it. Like, they
are in the right no matter what. What better
then to claim to be trying to act as Jesus would. I'm having a hard time putting my thoughts
into words without sounding condescending and self righteous myself. I just see so much of this everywhere I look. (mostly online) People who know better then the rest of
us. I am guilty myself. I wish more people could see things my
way. I have limited understanding of
others. We really can't fully
understand. Only Christ has a complete understanding.
If you strive to be Christ like, truly wanting to act as the
Savior would, you are not better,
superior, or more important than those around you. Christ served, and was served. I am not being
anymore Christ like to take dinner to someone, as they are to receive it. We are all
sinners. ALL OF US. Our sins just wear different hats. Christ loved, and was loved. Christ was kind
to all. Jesus loves us all, always.
If I help you, I'm not better.
if you help me, you're not better.
If I see you do something that I think is wrong, I am not
better.
If you see me do something you think is wrong, you are not
better.
We are all doing our best. We all want to be happy. We all want to be loved. We all sin.
We all need help.
Being Christ like isn't just being the one who is able to be
on the helping side. When serving
others, get rid of the pride. Christ did serve others. He loved others. He also was served, loved, fed, and Simon
carried HIS cross. We are all in need. We all need to love as the Savior did. We all need to be loved as the Savior loves
us. Nobody knows what is in another's
heart. No one, but Jesus Christ. He loves us.
He died for us. All of us.
So, what does Christ-like mean?
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