Every little girl loves to get into her mom’s closet, dress up in her mom’s clothes and high heels, and walk around with the dress trailing behind her, a huge purse hanging over her arm. And what child doesn’t like to step into Daddy’s work boots and stomp around, pretending to go work carrying Daddy’s lunch bucket.
Paul uses this same example to inspire us to live the life of love. He told the Christians who lived in Ephesus, to imitate God, just like dearly loved children, and live a life of love just as Jesus Christ lived when He was on earth and gave Himself as a sacrifice for us on the cross of Calvary.
The King James Version of Ephesians 5:2 says “walk in love.” I like that, “walk in love,” but I also like the saying, “live a life of love,” or “ live a love lifestyle.”
“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:35. This is how people will know you are a Christian. Not by the church you attend; not by the Bible you carry; not by the slogans you spout; not by the clothes you wear or the style of your hair; not by the title of the denomination or lack of denomination you belong to or don’t belong to.
You might be known by all those things but you won’t be known as a real Jesus-person. You will be known as a ___________(fill-in-the-blank denomination) Christian.
I’d like to be known as the one who loved everybody. Some day when people stand over my casket looking down at my empty shell of a body, I want them to say, “She was a real Christian who loved everybody.”
They will know we are Christians by our love.