Watching my grandchildren aspire to walk like others is amusing and sobering. For example, I see one grandson mimicking and copying another grandson. I have seen my own children copy me in my actions and reactions, whether good, bad, or indifferent. Many have mentors that they aspire to emulate. I have seen street preachers unknowingly sound and act exactly like other street preachers. Some say that copying is a form of flattery. I agree and add; copying demonstrates our fear or respect for another. As a child fears, respects, and honors his dad, we too should have a similar mindset with God.
Walk in the Word
Psalm 128:1 says, “Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways.” Ecclesiastes 12:13 teaches us to “fear God and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” And, in the New Testament, James 1:22 encourages us to be doers of the word and “not hearers only.” Dozens of other scriptures, both Old Testament and New, teach believers to obey the Lord in how they carry themselves. Having a good understanding of His ways aids us in this endeavor.
How does one pick up the character traits of another? By being around them. Per 1 Corinthians 15:33, evil company corrupts good character, and “a companion of fools shall be destroyed” is the advice of Solomon in Proverbs 13:20. You tend to emulate whom you spend the most time with. Have you noticed that being around cursing people tends to bring cursing to mind when you don’t even try? And you can become cynical by keeping company with cynical people. There is no better way to understand someone than to spend time with them. And, like it or not, their ways will “rub off on you,” and your ways will do the same to those that follow you.
Walk With God
Spending time with the Lord in the Bible and prayer brings fruits of being like Him. Not only do we have the Holy Spirit abiding in us, but the scriptures we read and memorize can also influence us. They teach us who He is, what He thinks, and expects, much like a child does with his dad. With this type of understanding, holy and reverent respect empowers us to want to walk in obedience. This enthusiasm and zeal also prompt us to want to spend time with other believers in fellowship. This comradery fuels the flame.
Walk in Vision and Determination
Vision is another important facet of walking in His ways. One must understand where they are currently in their faith walk and where they must be. Having a trusty measuring tool is requisite for understanding these important details. Otherwise, all of humanity is aimless. And if you stop and consider, most of humanity is aimless, as most do not have faith in the Word of God. Their understanding is darkened, and they create rules as they go. A primary means of propagating God’s Word is through the spoken Word by men of God. Scripture teaches us that “faith comes through hearing and hearing through the Word of God.” God’s Word illuminates where I stand with Him and where I must be.
Determination is key to walking in God’s ways and is defined as “firmness of purpose; resoluteness.” When one considers what Jesus did for them on the cross, a sense of determination can motivate one to overcome fleshly obstacles. Additionally, the love he “sheds abroad in our hearts,” along with taking away the yolk of sin off our backs, these emotional benefits influence our behavior. Much more than that, however, is when the Holy Spirit causes us to “will and do of His good pleasure.” This is like having a cheat code in our life where our desires change, causing us to become obedient because we want to.
Walk in Action
Once we understand God’s ways and rules and determine within ourselves to walk as He commanded us to, we must take action. I heard it said once that we make up our lives as we go. None of us are experts at anything; we fake it until we make it. But when we determine within ourselves that, starting today, we will not continue in sin, that is exactly what we will do. When we resolve to become bold witnesses for Christ, we look for opportunities to share our faith. We create the reality that we want to walk in. Our action moves us from timid to bold, lazy to industrious, and from a praying saint to a saint that walks in His ways.
Friend, do you desire to walk in His ways? Do you want to imitate Jesus? Are you spiritually in a “rut” where you seem far from God? Seek Him! Draw near to God, and he’ll draw near to you. Turn from your own selfish ways and walk in the Spirit. Speak to the lost. Help the widow and orphan. Feed the poor. Love the unlovely. You may not have all the answers; that’s ok. He does. Fake it until you make it.
