“Alvin Barnes of Jackson, Mississippi. If Christ Became Like Us, We Should Become Like Him

By Alvin Barnes of Jackson, Mississippi

“Let us become like Christ, since Christ became like us. He assumed the worst that He might give us the better; He became poor that we through His poverty might be rich.” — St. Gregory of Nazianzen

Christ didn’t just save us from a distance; He stepped into our struggle. He didn’t send a word from heaven. He became fresh, walked among us, felt hunger, grief, betrayal, and pain. He didn’t just preach sacrifice, He lived it. That’s the heart of what St. Gregory is saying. Christ became like us, so that we could become like Him. And if that’s what Jesus did for us, then why do we make it so hard to do the same for each other? We call ourselves Christians. But are we willing to live like Christ? It’s a challenge I struggle with myself. Are we willing to assume the worst to enter other people’s pain, to walk with them in their grief, to shoulder burdens that don’t belong to us but hurt people we love? Are we willing to become “poor” in comfort, in convenience, in self-interest, so that others might experience the richness of being seen, helped, and loved?

Because that’s what Christ did. He gave up heaven to sit with the broken.He gave up glory to die for the guilty. He became like us, not just to understand us, but to lift us out of what we couldn’t escape on our own. And we’re called to do the same.

Not to save people. That’s God’s job. But to love them, even when it costs us.To forgive, even when we don’t feel like it. To sit with the hurting, even when it’s uncomfortable. To give of ourselves, not just what’s easy to give, but what we would have needed if we were the one in need.

The world doesn’t need more polished Christians. It needs more people who are willing to love like Jesus did in real, raw, sacrificial ways. So let us become like Christ, since He didn’t hesitate to become like us.

Let us be the ones who step into messes, who walk with the weary, who give not from excess, but from compassion, who choose humility over pride, and love over ease. Let us do for each other what Christ has already done for us.

That’s not just Christianity. That’s discipleship. That’s transformation. That’s the Gospel lived out loud.

With Peace and Love,

Alvin Barnes of Jackson, Mississippi

Alvin Barnes of Jackson, Mississippi