This article appears in the Spring 2026 issue of the FCA Donor Publication. The FCA publication is a gift from our FCA staff to all donors giving $50 or more annually. For more information about giving, visit here.
READY:
“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
Following someone else’s good example is a proven method for improvement. Young athletes often imitate their favorite elite players on the playground and in competition. Think about all the kids out there who try to imitate Stephen Curry’s step-back three-pointer, Shohei Ohtani’s smooth swing, or (gulp!) Saquon Barkley’s instantly viral leap over his defender. But eventually, there comes a point when trying to duplicate a star athlete’s moves just doesn’t cut it. Lasting growth requires true coaching, lots of practice, and great dedication.
As Christians, if we are going to grow and remain in Jesus Christ, as He commanded, we need the same thing.
In the role of our coach, we have Jesus. But he’s not just any coach—He’s the eternal Son of God. Talk about a good example to follow! So we walk as He walked.
Jesus spent time alone with God. The Gospel of Luke describes four separate instances of Jesus going off alone to pray (Luke 4:42, 5:16, 6:12 and 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 spend time with God, to set aside moments of our day for him and then protect this sacred time. Prayer will transform our lives.
As coaches and athletes, we wouldn’t skip practice. The result would be a lack of improvement, and we would have no idea what the game plan was. The same commitment applies to our time with God.
Jesus continually demonstrated His love during his time on earth. He called a tax collector whom everyone else disliked to be His disciple (Matthew 9:9-12). He healed lepers who were outcasts (Luke 17:11-19). He wept when a friend died (John 11:35), and He washed the dirty feet of His disciples (John 13:1-11). Ultimately, He died on the cross because He loves us.
Following the ways of Jesus means we are following a perfect coach. We can rest assured that being following Jesus’ example will result in wonderful spiritual fruit in our lives—and many great spiritual victories.
Trusting and obeying Jesus is the perfect game plan for our lives. Being His disciple and following Him transforms our lives and motivates us to remain in Him. Reading and obeying His Word and speaking with Him often in prayer will help cultivate Christ-like character. And because of His love for us, we are motivated to share this love with those around us.
John 15:9, John 15:13, 1 John 2:6
“Lord, I want to walk Your way. You show me how to love my enemies, care for the hurting, and live my life with humility, trust, and serving. I want to carve out time with You, to know You better and produce lasting fruit in my life. Amen.”
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