“But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” 1 John 3:2b
A Christian professor I once heard about gives his students an interesting test on the first day of his class on Jesus. The test starts with questions about what they think Jesus is like. Is He moody? Angry? Nervous? An extrovert or an introvert? Then, the students take a second test, this time with slightly altered language, where they describe their own personalities.
The results? Strikingly consistent—everyone seems to think Jesus is just like them. The professor reflected on this: “Though we like to believe we are becoming more like Jesus, perhaps the reverse is happening—we are shaping Jesus to be more like ourselves.”
Three centuries ago, French philosopher Voltaire quipped, “If God made us in His image, we have returned the favor.”
As humans, we were created in God’s image (Gen 1:27), and His desire is for us to be conformed to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29). When we see Jesus clearly, it transforms us, helping us grow to reflect Him more.
To help you break the mold of making Jesus in our own image, I encourage you to spend time in the Gospels, immersing yourself in the life of Jesus. Read, pray, and ask God to help you see Christ as He truly is. And then, ask Him, by the power of His Spirit, to shape you more into His likeness. I believe this is a prayer He delights in answering!
