Jesus as a Verb: Living Through Him, Not Just Knowing Him
When you hear the name Jesus, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Maybe it’s the image of a man walking dusty roads, teaching crowds on a hillside, or healing the blind and sick. Maybe it’s the Savior on the cross, the Good Shepherd leading His sheep, or the resurrected King conquering death.
All of these are beautiful, powerful pictures of who Jesus is. But here’s a question for you: What if Jesus isn’t just a noun—someone we know or believe in—but also a verb?
What if “Jesus” isn’t just a name to admire or a person to follow, but something we actively do?
Living through Jesus means moving beyond the passive acknowledgment of who He is and stepping into the active, daily practice of embodying His love, grace, and truth. It means making “Jesus” a verb—a living, breathing way of life that transforms not just our hearts but also our actions.
Jesus Is the Way, the Truth, and the Life
In John 14:6, Jesus declares, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
We often interpret this verse as a cornerstone of our faith—Jesus is the only way to salvation. And that’s absolutely true. But there’s something else here, something deeply practical and immediate. Jesus isn’t just the way to eternal life; He’s also the way to live life right now.
To follow “the way” of Jesus is to live as He lived. It’s not about memorizing doctrines or checking off a list of religious duties. It’s about walking in His footsteps—choosing humility over pride, compassion over indifference, and love over judgment.
When we live like this, Jesus becomes more than a figure we revere. He becomes a verb—an action, a movement, a way of being that shapes everything we do.
What Does It Mean to Live Through Jesus?
Living through Jesus is a call to action. It’s not just about believing in Him; it’s about letting His Spirit work through us in tangible, visible ways. But what does that look like in the everyday messiness of life? How do we take this idea of “Jesus as a verb” and make it real?
Here are three ways to start:
1. Love Like Jesus
Jesus didn’t just talk about love—He lived it. His love wasn’t reserved for the easy-to-love people. He loved the outcasts, the sinners, the ones society had written off. He loved with a kind of radical, selfless love that turned heads and changed hearts.
Think about the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37). The Samaritan didn’t just feel pity for the injured man on the road—he acted. He stopped, helped, and sacrificed his own time and resources to care for someone in need.
That’s what it means to love like Jesus. It’s love in action. It’s forgiving someone who hurt you, even when it’s hard. It’s showing kindness to someone who’s different from you. It’s putting someone else’s needs ahead of your own, even when it’s inconvenient.
So, ask yourself: Who in my life needs to experience the love of Jesus through me? What can I do today to show them that love?
2. Serve Like Jesus
If there’s one thing that defined Jesus’ ministry, it was His willingness to serve. He didn’t come to Earth seeking power or recognition. Instead, He humbled Himself, washing His disciples’ feet, feeding the hungry, and healing the broken.
In Mark 10:45, Jesus said, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
To serve like Jesus means to look for ways to help others, even when it’s not glamorous or convenient. It means asking, “What can I do to make someone else’s burden a little lighter today?”
And serving doesn’t have to be dramatic. It might be as simple as listening to a friend who’s struggling, helping a neighbor with their groceries, or volunteering your time for a cause you care about.
Ask yourself: How can I serve others with the same humility and love that Jesus showed?
3. Trust Like Jesus
Throughout His time on Earth, Jesus modeled what it looks like to trust God completely. Even in the most difficult moments—like in the Garden of Gethsemane, when He knew the cross was just hours away—He surrendered His will to the Father’s. “Not as I will,” He prayed, “but as you will” (Matthew 26:39).
Let’s be honest—trusting God isn’t always easy. We want to be in control. We want to know how everything is going to work out. But living through Jesus means letting go of that need for control and trusting that God’s plan is good, even when we can’t see the full picture.
When we trust like Jesus, we don’t have to carry the weight of the world on our shoulders. We can rest in the knowledge that God is in control, even when life feels uncertain.
Ask yourself: What’s one area of my life where I need to let go and trust God more?
Making Jesus a Verb in Everyday Life
Here’s the beauty of living through Jesus: it’s not about being perfect. It’s about showing up, every day, and choosing to reflect Him in the little things.
It’s in the way we treat the barista when our coffee order is wrong. It’s in the patience we show when our kids are testing every ounce of it. It’s in the grace we extend to the coworker who’s having a bad day, the stranger who cuts us off in traffic, or even ourselves when we fall short.
Living through Jesus is about choosing Him in the small, ordinary moments of life. It’s about letting His love, grace, and truth guide our words, our actions, and our hearts.
Final Thoughts: Jesus in Motion
Here’s the thing about making “Jesus” a verb: it’s not just for us. When we live through Jesus, we become His hands and feet in the world. We become living, breathing reminders of His love and hope for a world that desperately needs both.
So, what would it look like to make “Jesus” a verb in your life today? Maybe it’s a kind word, a small act of service, or a step of faith. Whatever it is, know this: when you live through Jesus, you’re not just changing your own life—you’re helping to change the lives of those around you.
Jesus isn’t just a name we say on Sundays. He’s a way of life, a movement, an action. Let’s live like we believe that.
Because when we make “Jesus” a verb, we’re not just remembering who He is—we’re showing the world what He does.