“Whoever claims to abide in Him must walk as Jesus walked.”( 1 John 2:6)

This statement about authenticity is true in every area of life, but none more than in our spiritual lives. Some of us might think it means performing miracles, but thats not what John is talking about. The hallmarks of the Christian experience, John says in verse 5, are obedience and love.

From childhood , Jesus dedicated Himself to the Father’s will. When He might have been tempted to stay where He was very popular, He said “No I have to go where the Father has sent Me”. When He was criticized and condemned for following God , Jesus didn’t flinch. He stayed true to the Father’s purpose for Him. When Satan offered Him the whole world, He said no. Nothing could keep Him from following the narrow path of doing what pleased the Father.

To the amazement of His closest friends, Jesus reached out to people at the bottom of the barrel over and over again. He didn’t care what others thought of Him. He loved everybody.

When we walk as Jesus walked, our hearts are increasingly riveted on God’s purposes instead of on our selfish desires and self-protection, and we reach out to care for the people no one else even notices. If we truly know Jesus Christ He changes our hearts and His love will overflow from us to touch others.