“Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children.”
(Ephesians 5:1)
One of the highest honors for the Christian is to reflect the character of God. In the same way as a child naturally resembles their father, the believer is called to grow in likeness to the heavenly Father through the transformation God brings about in the heart and the conduct that flows from it.
God reveals His goodness in His dealings with the world, showing kindness even to those who do not acknowledge Him. He causes the sun to rise on both the evil and the good and sends rain on the just and the unjust. His universal generosity demonstrates the benevolence of His nature.
As His children, we are to imitate His goodness in our relationships with others. The life of faith is therefore deeply practical, showing kindness toward others and a readiness to forgive. Just as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven His people, we are to extend forgiveness to those who wrong us.
The natural human response to injury is retaliation or resentment. Yet the gospel teaches a different way. The believer has been forgiven an immeasurable debt through the mercy of God, which softens the heart and produces a willingness to show mercy to others. In this way our forgiveness toward others becomes a reflection of the grace that God has already shown us.
This imitation of God’s goodness extends beyond personal relationships. Believers are also called to pursue the good of humanity in general. As far as our ability allows, we are to seek the welfare of others and the peace of the communities in which we live. Our conduct should therefore reflect a sincere concern for the well-being of our neighbors.[1]
Because God first loved us, love for others becomes the guiding principle that leads us to treat others with kindness, to seek reconciliation, and to pursue the good of all. It is through this transformation that the beauty of God’s character becomes visible in the lives of His people.
Contemplations:
- Seeking a heart that reflects Your goodness. Lord, I see how far my natural disposition falls short of Your goodness. My heart often reacts with impatience, resentment, or indifference rather than kindness. Yet You call me to follow You as Your child. I ask that You reshape my heart so that it reflects the compassion and mercy that belong to Your character.
- Remembering the mercy You have shown me. Father, when I consider how patiently You have dealt with me, I am humbled. You have forgiven my sins through Christ and have shown kindness to me again and again. Help me remember this mercy whenever I’m tempted to hold bitterness against others. And let the memory of Your grace soften my heart.
- Desiring to walk in love toward others. Lord, teach me to walk in love in my daily relationships. Let my words be gentle, my actions thoughtful, and my attitude marked by kindness. Where conflict arises, give me the humility to pursue peace and reconciliation. And may the love You placed within my heart shape every interaction I have with others.
- Longing to resemble my Heavenly Father. Heavenly Father, I desire that my life would increasingly resemble Your character. As Your child, I want my thoughts, words, and actions to reflect the goodness that comes from You. Continue transforming my heart so that others may see something of Your kindness through the way I live.
Prayer (Supplication)
Gracious Father, Your Word calls me to follow You as Your child, yet I know that my heart often struggles to reflect the goodness that belongs to You. I ask that You would work within me by Your Spirit so that my life may increasingly resemble Your character.
Lord, help me remember the mercy You have shown to me through Christ and the countless ways You sustain my life each day. As I reflect on Your kindness, shape my heart so that I desire to extend the same grace to others.
Give me a spirit of compassion toward those around me. When I encounter people who have wronged me, guard me from bitterness and resentment. Instead, grant me the humility to forgive as I have been forgiven. Let my heart be tender and ready to seek reconciliation.
Strengthen me to walk in love in every area of life. When I am tempted to act selfishly or harshly, remind me that I am called to imitate Your goodness. Guide my words so that they encourage rather than wound. Direct my actions so they promote peace and kindness.
Help me seek the good of others sincerely. Open my eyes to opportunities where I may serve, encourage, and support those around me. And let my life consistently reflect the love You have poured into my heart through Your grace.
Father, I ask that You continue transforming my character so that I may grow in likeness to You. Let Your goodness guide my conduct each day. May those who encounter me see something of Your kindness through the way I treat them.
Through this work of grace, make my life a reflection of the love that comes from You. I ask that my heart, my words, and my actions would increasingly reveal the character of the Father whom I follow.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Further Scripture References for Eph. 5:1:
Matt. 5:48; Luke 6:36; John 1:12; Lev. 11:45
[1] John Tillotson, The Remaining Discourses, on the Attributes of God (London: printed for Ri. Chiswell, at the Rose and Crown in St. Paul’s Churchyard, 1700), 97–99.
