Boiling it down. 1 John 2.

We've read a lot of Scripture this year. I've written a few words about it. We've had lessons from Paul, from the actions of those in the early church, and from those who walked with Jesus, as recorded in the gospels. John, himself, has given us a lot to chew on in this chapter alone.

But as Christians it pretty much comes down to this:

"The one who says he resides in God ought himself to walk just as Jesus walked." (V.2:6)

Not that it's simple to do. To walk so close to and so much like Jesus means we have to know what He knew. We have to do what He did. He knew the text. He knew the Father. He spoke with authority. He submitted to the Father's authority. He treated all as His neighbor.

To walk as Jesus walked means we need the lessons of Paul, the example of Peter, the song of Mary. We need to spend as much time with Him as we can, through the written word, in communion with His Spirit, talking to Him, and then listening. We need to know His life as if we had been one of the disciples walking with Him, breathing in the dust of His steps.

All this takes time, and discipline, and friends, and brothers and sisters.

But it is easy to state -- today, Lord, help me to walk just as You walked.

Amen.