A few years ago, social media was flooded with memes telling us to “Be Like Bill.” Who is this mysterious stick-figure? As Christians we are commanded to be like Jesus. Is that even possible? Where do we start? Is Bill like Jesus? Bill is smart. Bill would watch this sermon. Be like Bill.

Jesus Loves Meme

Previous sermons are posted online. Please check them out and share them.

We’ve discussed several memes in this series. Can we name a few?

By now you hopefully know what a meme is:

A meme is an idea that is shareable. It often utilizes pictures and text.

What is your favorite meme? Text our anonymous text line: 214-856-0550

Today we’re talking about a meme that isn’t my favorite. I don’t think Jesus would share this meme. But according to the church’s liturgical meme calendar,

this week we are supposed to talk about “Be like Bill”

BE LIKE BILL

Do you recognize Bill? The “Be like Bill” meme started in 2015, and back then Bill looked like this:

BE LIKE BILL ORIGINAL

At some point Bill stood up and put on a hat, and people started sharing iterations of the meme that describe various things that Bill does, like this

BE LIKE BILL MONDAY

BE LIKE BILL SNOW

BE LIKE BILL SPAM

They went viral. There were several versions. There were some telling you to be like other characters, or not to be like other characters.

In 2016 people started releasing online widgets where you could put in your name and it would generate an image telling people to be like you.

BE LIKE BILL

I’m not a huge fan of this meme because it’s kind of boring. It’s intended to be instructive rather than funny. And it comes off a little smug.

In addition, it’s self-defeating.

Most of these memes encourage us to have good manners on social media.

But if you post these memes, and maybe tag a few people who need to see them…

That’s not good manners. Bill wouldn’t do that. You’re not being like Bill.

I do not have a problem with the fact that it tells us to imitate someone.

We’re often told not to imitate other, and that we should “be ourselves.”

But we learn by imitating. As my kids grow up, it’s amazing how they learn by imitating the people around them. My wife and I have to be careful not to model behaviors around our son that we don’t want him to imitate.

If you know people with good qualities and good behaviors that you admire,

it’s okay to imitate them and adopt those behaviors.

But if you’re going to imitate someone, why not try to imitate the BEST person?

BE LIKE JESUS

Don’t be like Bill, be like Jesus.

Is that scriptural? Yes it is.

JOHN 13:34 NIV A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

Jesus repeats this command in John 15:17 

We are commanded to love others as He loved. And since love motivated all of Jesus’ actions, then if we love as He did we should end up living as He did.

Furthermore we are told that we will eventually become like Him.