We learn from our living prophet, our leaders, and the scriptures that we can become like Jesus Christ, who was perfect. No invitation or example is as influential as the one that comes from Jesus Christ Himself.
He said, “Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am.”
To become more like Him, we can follow Him.
Dieter F. Uchtdorf taught, “To follow Christ … is to learn from His character. As spirit children of our Heavenly Father, we do have the potential to incorporate Christlike attributes into our life and character. The Savior invites us to learn His gospel by living His teachings. To follow Him is to apply correct principles and then witness for ourselves the blessings that follow.”
Becoming like Christ is a lifelong process. These are five simple attributes you can start working on today to become more like Him.
1. Charity and Love
Christ loved all people, even those who hated Him. He talked to, taught, healed, and accepted everyone He was with.
How to daily develop charity and love: Pray for God to fill you with the love that He and Jesus Christ have for everyone, and search for opportunities to serve.
2. Knowledge
You won’t always have your tangible possessions, but your knowledge is something you’ll have for eternity.
How to daily develop knowledge: The Lord commanded us to “seek learning, even by study and also by faith.” Seek secular and spiritual knowledge by going to school, learning new skills, and studying the words of living prophets each day.
3. Patience
Patience increases your ability to endure opposition and suffering with faith and calm, rather than with frustration or anger. No one displayed patience better than Christ. Even during His greatest suffering, He easily forgave, stayed true to the will of His Father, and found ways to radiate joy.
How to daily develop patience: Strive to be patient with your everyday experiences and with each of your relationships, including with yourself.
4. Humility
Christ was the only perfect person to live, yet He was never prideful. He performed many miracles by submitting to God’s will and giving Him credit. To some, humility is a sign of weakness. In reality, it is a sign of spiritual power.
How to daily develop humility: Express gratitude to God for all that you have and all that you accomplish. Trust His prophets and apostles and follow their counsel. Have faith that you can do anything when you rely on Him.
5. Obedience
Obeying God’s commandments or following spiritual promptings sometimes means doing things you don’t fully understand. Obedience is a major act of faith.
“When we have faith in Christ, we trust the Lord enough to follow His commandments—even when we do not completely understand the reasons for them,” President Uchtdorf reminds us.
How to daily develop obedience: Study God’s commandments. Focus on one or two this week that you can improve on. As you act on your faith and obey God, like Jesus did, your knowledge will grow, and so will your desire to be obedient.
Christlike attributes are gifts from God. You already possess many of them. It takes focus and time to develop all of them, but you can do that with Heavenly Father’s help. Be willing and anxious to improve every day, one decision at a time. When you do, you’ll become more like Jesus Christ.