Act as God acts

As discussed in an earlier chapter, Jesus specifically commanded us on multiple occasions to follow his example. But how do we apply his example to our own lives when we live some 2,000 years after he did, in very different circumstances?

The key to applying the example of Jesus to your own life lies in extracting principles from what he did and didn’t do. Knowing that his motive was to do the greatest good is essential. His example showed what was best under the circumstances.

To act as God acts, you must exercise and further develop your willingness and ability to discern what is best. Our natural tendency is to seek what makes us feel best right now. God’s influence leads us in determining what is best for all people over the longest time period. Each person has a beginning capability to determine what is best, and through exercising what you already have, you will grow in your accuracy in discerning what is best and your determination to do it.

All good comes from, leads to, and is fulfilled in God. God’s voice is the voice of improvement. The influence of God will always cause things to become better than they were. God shows you how to improve, why to improve, and proves that you can improve. To reveal more or better to a person is to reveal what they should do to be more like God.

In order to act as God acts, you will have to learn to recognize and give invitations to improve. Recognizing invitations to improvement will require that you actively think about how things could be better, which will cause you to notice far more opportunities to improve. Effectively managing the endless opportunities to improve yourself, others, and the world requires organization and intention. You will need to develop a means of capturing potential improvements, prioritizing which you address first, and planning effective ways to accomplish your goals.¹

How you react to improvement is how you feel about God. The word of God will show you what is really in your heart.² If you disobey God, you do not really love him.³ If you obey him begrudgingly, you do not really love him.⁴ If you prefer anything else to obeying him, you do not really love him.⁵ If you fear the consequences of obeying him—if you count the cost—you do not really trust him:

25 And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,
26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,
30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.
31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?
32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. 33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14)

How do you respond to invitations to improve? How do you respond to criticism? How do you respond to evidence that what you think is incorrect? How do you respond to evidence that there are better actions than those you are taking? How do you respond to new opportunities?

God’s voice is the voice of improvement, and as you heed and echo that voice, you and those around you will grow. As you choose to ignore or disobey that voice, you will become a worse person. The more capable you become of identifying potential improvement, and the more effectively you can accomplish the greatest improvement, the more you will learn about God, and the more quickly you will become like him.