Fruitful Living
What it means to be like Jesus?
• Jesus preaching to the disciples
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. – Ephesians 5:2
We saw this on YouTube about somebody’s understanding on how to be like Jesus. We found it fascinating and are happy to share it with you. Please enjoy it and share it with others.
Who is a Christian?
Eighteen hundred years ago in the second century a man called Diognetus wanted to know who a Christian was; The following was written to him to explain who a Christian is:
“The distinction between a Christian and others is not about a country language or customs language or customs.
• They follow local customs in clothing, food and the rest of life. And yet exhibit the wonderfully paradoxical nature of their own citizen.
• They live in their own countries, but it is as if they are resident aliens.
• They share all things as citizens and yet endure all things as if they are inferior. Every foreign country is their homeland, and every homeland is a foreign country.
• They marry like everyone else and have children, but they do not abort their young ones.
• They keep a common table but not a common bed. They live in the world but not in a worldly way.
• They enjoy a full life on earth, but their citizenship is in heaven.
• They obey the appointed laws, but they surpass the laws in their own lifestyle, they love everyone and are universally derided.
• They are unknown and do not criticise people.
• They are put to death and gain life.
• They are poor but make many rich.
• They lack all things and yet have all things in abundance.
• They are dishonoured and are glorified in their dishonour.
• They are abused but bless others in return.
• When they are beaten up, they rejoice as men who have been given a new life.
In short, although the soul is in the body, the Christians are in the world. The soul lives in the body but is not confined to the body. Although Christians live in the world they are not confined to the world. God has appointed them for this great calling, and it will be wrong for them to decline it.”
In addition to this here are eight portraits of what Christlikeness looks like.
To be like Jesus means to:
1. Accept our roots (Matthew 1:1-17)
The circumstances surrounding Jesus’ birth might have raised questions in the minds of some. But Jesus never denied His ancestry or allowed others to shame Him. We also need to understand and accept our roots in terms of culture, race, gender and reputation. Moreover, like Jesus we want to avoid demeaning anyone else’s heritage.
2. Engage the world’s Pain and Struggle (1:18-2:23)
Jesus’s entry into human life was fraught with awkward tensions and human dilemmas: a miraculous birth, an earthly father who was considering a quiet divorce, an outraged king resorting to infanticide and a return to a homeland that remained hostile and dangerous. We too, are all born into some troubles and circumstances but we need to face up to the world and remain very much in it, despite all its troubles.
3. Commit Ourselves to other Believers. (Matthew 3:1-17)
John the Baptist was not an average individual. He lived in the wilderness – the ‘other side of the tracks’ for that day. He wore strange clothing and ate strange food. He was pugnacious, even offensive at times. Yet he helped launch Jesus’ career. In return, Jesus had nothing but praise for him. If we want to be like Jesus, we must not pick and choose our brothers and sisters in God’s family. We need to embrace other believers and demonstrate our unity in Christ, no matter how awkward or inconvenient.
4. Admit our Vulnerability to Temptation. (Matthew 4:1-11)
Matthew’s inclusion of the temptation is remarkable. It shows that the sinless Lord of the universe was tempted, just as we are. ‘For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet He did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need’. – Hebrews 4:15- 16.
If we want to be like Jesus, we must accept that temptation is real – need to be open about our struggles. In doing so we honour God, recognise the power of sin, and encourage others to do likewise.
5. Proclaim the Message of Christ. (Matthew 4:12-25)
Jesus’s life was not an open book, readable by all. To be sure, He lived a perfect, model life. But even that could not stand alone as an undeniable witness. His actions needed interpretation. So He supplemented His good deeds with good news. In the same way, we need to verbally declare our faith if we want to be like Christ. Certainly, we need to back up our words with a Christlike lifestyle. But what we tell others give meaning to our quiet walk and good deeds.
6. Commit to Changed Thinking and Behaviour (Matthew 5:1-7:27)
In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus explained the values of the kingdom. He showed that following Him will involve radical change for most of us. It may mean undoing the way we’ve always done things and rethinking traditional sources of wisdom from our parents and culture. To become like Jesus involves a tough-minded review of our values and a thorough change in our behaviour.
7. Serve Others. (Matthew 8:1- 9:38)
The Sermon on the Mount was immediately followed by ‘deeds in the valley’. Christlike values lead to servant actions – and it was obedient action that Jesus cared about, not just sermonising. Jesus modelled how to do the will of God by actively serving more than 25 different people. These included such undesirables as lepers, an officer of the Roman occupation troops, the sick, the demon-possessed, cave dwellers, tax collectors, and a diseased, outcast woman. If we want to be like Jesus, we need to befriend those who are weak, under oppression, or without Christ. Like Him, we need to become ‘a friend of sinners’. He offered much more than religious information – He served them.
8. Affirm Other Leaders. (Matthew 10:1-42)
Jesus invested Himself in the development of other people, particularly the Twelve. He gave them responsibility and authority. He accepted the risk that they might fail. Of course, He gave them adequate preparation before sending them out, and on their return He affirmed them on their successful completion of the mission. Jesus calls us to help others grow. If we want to be like Him, we will share the joys and risks of working together with our brothers and sisters.
To Ponder
Please remember that there should be a distinction between you and others who are not Christians. ‘Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!’ -2 Corinthians 5:17.
Stay blessed!
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Website: saltandlightministriesgh.org
By Dr. Joyce Aryee, the author
The internationally accepted definition (from the UN Palermo Protocol, 2000) identifies three elements:
ACT (What is done), which includes:
• Recruitment, transportation, transfer harbouring, or receipt of persons. How it is Applied:
In Ghana, traffickers recruit children from rural areas under false promises of education or employment.
MEANS (How it is done), which includes:
• Threats
• Coercion
• Deception
• Abuse of vulnerability
How it is applied:
Parents may be deceived into releasing children, or victims may be threatened into silence.
PURPOSE (Why it is done), which includes:
• Sexual exploitation
• Forced labour
• Slavery
• Organ harvesting
Key Insight:
Even if a victim appears to “consent,” such consent is legally irrelevant if coercion or deception is involved.
Islamic legal principles align with this framework by prohibiting exploitation (ẓulm) and unjust enrichment, rendering trafficking morally and legally impermissible (Bawono & Huda, 2025).
Forms and impacts of human trafficking
Human trafficking manifests in several forms:
• Child trafficking → educational deprivation, psychological trauma
• Forced labour → economic exploitation, health risks
• Sexual exploitation → severe physical and emotional harm
• Organ trafficking → life-threatening and ethically egregious
Human trafficking manifests in diverse and interconnected forms. Child trafficking leads to loss of education, long-term psychological trauma, and entrenched poverty.
Forced labour subjects victims to severe economic exploitation and hazardous working conditions, often resulting in deteriorating health. Sexual exploitation inflicts profound physical abuse and emotional damage, alongside social stigma.
Organ trafficking poses life-threatening risks and represents a grave ethical violation. Collectively, these practices undermine human capital, weaken social structures, and hinder sustainable development. These forms collectively erode human capital and social stability.
Legal and Institutional Frameworks
International Legal Instruments
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR, 1948)
The UDHR provides the normative foundation for global human rights law:
• Article 1: Affirms equality and freedom of all humans
• Article 4: Explicitly prohibits slavery and servitude
• Article 5: Prohibits torture and degrading treatment
Analytical Insight:
Human trafficking violates all three provisions simultaneously. Victims are deprived of freedom (Article 1), subjected to forced labour (Article 4), and exposed to degrading conditions (Article 5).
These align closely with Islamic prohibitions against oppression and injustice.
Palermo Protocol (2000)
This is the primary international legal instrument addressing trafficking:
• Provides the AMP definition (Act–Means–Purpose)
• Emphasises the 3Ps framework: Prevention, protection, prosecution
• Recognises victim rights and state obligations
Analytical insight:
The Protocol’s emphasis on protection and dignity parallels Islamic legal objectives, particularly the preservation of life and honour. Comparative studies show strong convergence between Islamic law and international anti-trafficking norms (Jamal, 2025).
Regional framework
African charter on human and peoples’ rights
• Article 5: Protects human dignity and prohibits exploitation
• Article 15: Guarantees equitable working conditions
Analytical insight:
The Charter contextualises human rights within African socio-cultural realities, reinforcing communal responsibility an idea that resonates with Islamic communal ethics (ummah).
National framework: Ghana 1992 Constitution of Ghana
• Article 15: Guarantees the dignity of all persons and prohibits torture or degrading treatment
• Article 16: Explicitly prohibits slavery, servitude, and forced labour
• Article 21: Guarantees fundamental human rights and freedoms, including personal liberty, freedom of movement, and constitutional safeguard against human trafficking. In particular, Article 21 affirms the right of individuals to move freely, make autonomous decisions, and live without coercion.
Human trafficking directly contravenes these rights by restricting victims’ movement, subjecting them to confinement, and denying their personal liberty through deception and force. Victims are often transported against their will and held in exploitative conditions, thereby violating their constitutional freedoms.
Consequently, trafficking not only breaches specific prohibitions under Articles 15 and 16 but also fundamentally undermines the broader human rights guarantees freedom from arbitrary restraint.
Human Trafficking Act (Act 694, as amended)
• Criminalises all forms of human trafficking, including recruitment, transportation, harbouring, and exploitation
• Provides for victim protection, rehabilitation, and reintegration through state-supported mechanisms
• Establishes institutional frameworks for investigation, prosecution, and inter-agency collaboration
Critical and normative insight:
The Act reflects Ghana’s commitment to safeguarding human dignity and aligns with international standards. However, enforcement challenges persist due to limited funding, weak institutional coordination, and low public awareness, which hinder effective implementation.
From an Islamic perspective, the provisions of Act 694 resonate strongly with core Sharīʿah principles. Islam unequivocally prohibits all forms of exploitation (ẓulm), coercion, and the commodification of human beings. Human trafficking violates the divinely ordained dignity (karāmah) of individuals, undermines justice (‘adl), and disrupts social balance. By criminalising trafficking and promoting victim protection, the Act indirectly advances the higher objectives of
Islamic law (Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah), particularly the preservation of life, dignity, and wealth. Thus, both Islamic teachings and Ghanaian law converge in condemning trafficking as a grave moral and legal injustice.
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Children’s Act (Act 560)
• Protects children from exploitative labour and harmful practices
• Promotes access to education, welfare, and holistic development
Domestic Violence Act (Act 732)
• Addresses physical, emotional, and psychological abuse often associated with trafficking
• Provides legal remedies, protection orders, and support systems for victims
By Imam Alhaji Saeed Abdulai, Kpone
Katamanso Municipal Chief Imam, Certified
Counsellor and Governance Expert
Jesus teaches, “Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.”
Light is not meant to be hidden. In Ephesians 5:8, the Bible says, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.”
This means our faith should be visible in the way we live. Not in a loud or forceful way, but in a consistent and genuine way.
When we choose honesty, kindness, patience, and love, we are shining our light. People may not always listen to what we say, but they will see how we live.
Your Life Should Point Others to God
Jesus says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
This is the purpose of being salt and light. It is not about drawing attention to ourselves, but about pointing people to God.
In 1 Peter 2:12, we are encouraged to live such good lives that others may see our actions and glorify God.
Our lives become a testimony. The way we treat people, the way we handle challenges, and the way we walk in love all speak loudly.Through us, others can begin to see the goodness and grace of God.
6. Being Salt and Light Requires a Living Relationship with God
We cannot live this life in our own strength.
In John 15:5, Jesus says, “Without me you can do nothing.” This reminds us that our ability to influence the world comes from our connection with Him.
As we spend time in prayer, study His Word, and walk in obedience, our lives are transformed. From that place, we begin to reflect Him naturally.
It is not about striving. It is about abiding in Him.
A Simple Reflection
To be salt and light means:
² To influence the world with Godly character
² To live differently according to God’s Word
² To shine through your daily actions
² To point others to Christ
² To remain connected to Him at all times
Conclusion
Jesus has already declared who you are. You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world. The question is whether you are living out that identity.
The world needs your influence. The world needs your light. In your home, your workplace, your church, and your community, God has placed you there for a reason.
As you walk with Him, your life will naturally make an impact. Shine your light,
stay true to His Word and let your life bring glory to God.
By Rev. Dr Joyce Aryee
