GOAL #2: BECOME LIKE HIM

For Jesus, the point of apprenticeship was to be with him for the purpose of becoming like him. We see this in Jesus’ rubric: “The apprentice is not above the rabbi, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their rabbi” (see Matthew 10:24). Apprentices of Jesus are those who sign up for this training program, who intentionally arrange their lives around the goal of spiritual growth and maturity.

(Non-apprentices of Jesus are those who intentionally arrange their lives around anything else.)

The process of growth and change is called “spiritual formation.” Spiritual formation isn’t a Christian thing; it’s a human thing.

To be human is to change, constantly. Whether we are religious or not, we grow, evolve, fall apart, and come back together. We can’t help it; the nature of the human soul is dynamic, not static. It’s why we show awkward teenager photos at weddings and wedding photos at funerals—we’re all fascinated by this process of change.

So the question isn’t, Are you being formed?

It’s, Who or what are you being formed into?

Spiritual formation in the Way of Jesus is a process the monks have long called imitatio Christi, or “the imitation of Christ.” The Father intends us to be “conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29). Incredibly, as this happens, we become our deepest, truest self—the self that God had in mind when he willed us into existence before time began.

The irony of our “be true to yourself” culture is that everyone ends up looking the same. As it turns out, sin is incredibly cliché. We devolve to our base animal instincts for self-preservation and pleasure—greed, gluttony, immorality, lies, power games. It’s the same story on repeat, generation after generation.

A true original is one practicing the Way. Because no one is more original than a saint.

You’re becoming a person; that much is unavoidable.

And you’re going to end up somewhere in life.

Why not become a person who is pervaded by the love of Jesus?

Why not be like him?

What qualities of Jesus do you most eagerly want to have for yourself? Stop now and pray for the Spirit of Jesus to form those qualities in your inner person.