Look Alikes

“The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.” Acts 11:26

Not long ago, my daughter’s high school swim team was pitted in a meet against my husband’s alma mater. Just before the competition began, he pointed to a nearby spectator and exclaimed, “I know her! That has to be Julie McDonough because she looks just like her mom!” Sure enough, a short walk and a few words later, old friends were reacquainted—not because Julie still resembled her former appearance but because she now looked like another.

Though, thankfully, my husband didn’t reveal all these details to Julie, when it comes to Jesus, the same thing should happen to us. We shouldn’t look like our old selves from days gone by before we met Him, but now that we know Him, we should look just like Him.

“The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch”(Acts 11:26). God’s love and grace had so radically transformed the believers in the Syrian town of Antioch that their lives bore a striking resemblance to their Savior. As those around them began to see less and less of what they had been like and more and more of Who they were now like, they began to call them “Christians”—“Little Christs.” When people looked at them, all they saw was Jesus. Their faces radiated His joy—even in their trials. Their spirits exuded His peace—even when they had problems. They treated both friends and enemies with patience and kindness. Their words resounded with His truth. Their attitudes reflected His heart. And their love, the love He had said would be their trademark(Jn 13:35), infused all they said and all they did.

Since the people of Antioch saw so much of Jesus in His own, they decided to call them by His name—“Little Christs.” The original term was quite possibly a derision, but could there ever be a bigger compliment? “You look just like Jesus.” As Dwight L. Moody aptly stated, “Out of 100 men, one will read the Bible. The other 99 will read you.” May your life leave no doubt Who you look like.

Live like a “Little Christ” and others will see how big He really is.