I wanna be like you

Whilst recently watching the classic film The Jungle Book I was struck by the words of a famous song from the film. Many of us will know the song, ‘I wanna to be like you’ and, if we are really honest, would have probably sung along to it quite happily once or twice! Essentially the song is sung by an ape to a boy who was brought up in the jungle. The chorus says, ‘I wanna be like you, I wanna walk like you, Talk like you, too’. Later in the song it becomes clear that the ape wants one thing from the boy – the secret to making fire.

As I listened to the all too familiar lyrics (thanks to a devoted fan of the film in the form of my 2 year old son) I found my thoughts drifting to how we can live our lives in this way. We can see other people and yearn to be like them. Yet the question that I found myself pondering was, “Do I want to be like someone else, or do I want something that person has?” It’s easy to get the two mixed up and we can find ourselves wanting to be like others, but only because we want what they have. It may be that we want their gifts and talents, their status, their friendships, their happiness, their authority, their job, their home...or anything else!

This scripture reminds us that we shouldn’t yearn to be something or someone we aren’t because we perceive our status to be insignificant. Each of the parts of the Body has a vital part to play in God’s purposes.

If you feel as though you live your life thinking, ‘I wanna be like ...’ then maybe today is the day to stop. Why not celebrate the role you have to play in the Body of Christ and just enjoy being yourself?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me to love myself and not live my life trying to be like others because I see them as those who have more than me. Help me to just be the person You made me to be, so that I can fulfil Your divine purposes in my life. Amen.