Walk His Way

Following someone else’s example is a tried-and-true proven method for improvement. Young athletes imitate their favorite elite players on the playground and in competition, flashing a Euro step or fade away that they saw the night before. But eventually, there comes a point when watching highlight reels and trying to duplicate the move just doesn’t cut it. A real coach and practice are needed to institute lasting growth. 

If we are going to truly grow and remain in Jesus Christ, as He commanded, then we need the same thing: a real coach and real practice. 

“The one who says he remains in him should walk just as he walked.” - 1 John 2:6

Did you catch it? “Just as he walked.” We don’t have to go searching for someone to show us how to remain in Jesus. Jesus is our coach. We walk as He walked. 

So, how did He walk?

He walked with God the Father

“I know that his command is eternal life. So the things that I speak, I speak just as the Father has told me.” – John 12:50

Jesus spent time alone with God. Four separate times in the Gospel of Luke, it describes Jesus going off alone to pray (Luke 4:42, Luke 5:16, Luke 6:12, Luke 9:18). Doing the same thing in our lives doesn’t have to look fancy. We don’t need a special mountain. We just need to take time to spend with God, to set aside time and then protect it. 

As coaches and athletes, we wouldn’t skip practice. The result of that would mean we wouldn’t improve, and we would have no idea what the game plan was. The same commitment applies to our time with God. We cannot know God or what He wants if we do not spend time with Him. 

As we remain in Him, we produce fruit of the Spirit in our lives: “But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things.” – Galatians 5:22-23 

We also begin to “put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth” (Colossians 3:8). Time with God transforms our lives in the best ways. 

Jesus modeled love just as God the Father did. “As the Father has loved me, I have also loved you. Remain in my love.” – John 15:9

Time and again in the Gospels, Jesus demonstrates love. He calls a tax collector whom everyone else disliked to be part of His disciples (Matthew 9:9-12). He heals lepers who were outcasts from society (Luke 17:11-19). He wept when a friend passed away (Luke 11: 28-37) and washed the dirty feet of His disciples (Luke 13:1-8). Ultimately, He died on the cross because He loves us.

“No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends.” – John 15:13

In the competitive world love is often seen as weakness. Can you really love your opponent when you just want to defeat them? Can you love your teammate when you want their spot on the roster? The answer is yes, you can.

To love your opponent means playing by the rules. It looks like excellence in performance and sportsmanship. It looks like encouraging and rallying your team, regardless of your role. 

Following the ways of Jesus means we are following a perfect coach. We can rest assured that being coached by Jesus will result in fruit in our lives. He said, “’I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me.’” – John 15:5

Jesus always has the perfect game plan. Fruit and life transformation only happen with Him. 



Being Jesus’ disciple and following Him transforms our lives and motivates us to remain in Him. Knowing how and where He walks is the best way for us to follow. And because of His love for us, we are motivated to share this love with those around us.