Who do you identify with?

I have a friend by the name of Kerwin. Kerwin is a great guy with a lot of insights, passions and skill. He works in the health and wellness field and as such tries his best to stay abreast of the sorts of things that make for healthy living. To that end, as long as I have known him he has always shown an interest in what he calls, "religious stuff."

Kerwin is straight up about where he stands. As far as he is concerned organized religion has corrupted the message of the gods. I say "gods" because Kerwin is indescriminate in his assessment. In his mind, whether its Buddha, Allah or Jesus, the same plight has affected them all - people have messed up the message of every religion.

Obviously that made me think about the life I have been given, the church I belong to and the people who are part of my life and learning with me to follow Jesus. Are we following Jesus? Really? How would someone know? Would it show up here and there in my life? Would everything I do be drenched in some sort of "Jesus wash?" Isn't it enough to simply admire Jesus and his teaching? Can't we simply laud him for his courageous stands and ethical positions on things? Or, is more required?

Lately, I have been trying to think a lot about the imitating of Jesus that the Bible talks about. For the most part, in our North American culture, to mimic someone is not always the most positive thing we can do. A friend told me that in her opinion mimicking someone "leans towards the negative." Yet, it seems to me that one of the expectations that Jesus has of you and I is that we literally become more like Jesus, that we identify with him, his words, actions and deeds - that we become "little Jesus'."

Not sure what I am talking about? (that is certainly possible!) Go grab your Bible and try reading Luke 8: 40-46. Read it quietly the first time noting what's strange or odd. Then read it again and pay attention to what it is that strikes at your heart and life. Then, read it again a third time and ask yourself: Who is this story do I identify with the most? Is it the leader? Is it the woman? Is it the crowd?

Strangely enough, when this exercise took place under the direction of Harvey Cox (he's a missiologist/ professor and all around really smart guy) only 10 out of 600 people identified with the person of Jesus in the story. Think about that - only 10 out of 600 people identified with Jesus in the story. And yet, we are supposed to be his followers. We are supposed to do what he does, say what he says, act the way he acts in this world.

What would it take for you to identify more with Jesus - and by that I mean to literally start making different decisions that are more reflective of his teaching, his life, his words, etc.? What would it take to move him from a person you admire and study - to one that you actually mimic?