Michelle Williams - Just Like You Lyrics
Lyrics
Verse 1
I really wanna live inside
Of your heart where love resides
And I really wanna be the apple of your eye
Just like David, Esther and Elijah
Pre-Chorus
I want to go faith to faith
I wanna see your face
When I look in the mirror
Everyday, everyday
Chorus
I want to be just like you
Live life everyday like you do
I want to be just you
Cause you took everything that's no good
And made me all brand new
Verse 2
I look at my smile. That's yours
You gave it to me when you said I was reborn
And that light that they see me shining that's not mine
It came from you when I made you my desire
Pre-Chorus
I want to go faith to faith
I wanna see your face
When I look in the mirror
Everyday, everyday
Chorus
I want to be just like you
Live life everyday like you do
I want to be just you
Cause you took everything that's no good
And made me all brand new
Chief Wakil:
You are who I wanna be like
It's ironic if my eyes ain't focused on the Son I don't see right
They say that is what he's like
I reply I guess it's in my genes
I ain't talking about Levi's
I talk truth and I ain't even gospel
That's the new definition of God flow
My rights don't outweigh my wrongs
But you still took more whips than the car show
I'm just thankful to know
My debt has been paid since the day I was born
You can tell by my face and the way that it glows
They wanna know what the Cos-By no Raven Symone
Glory! Glory!
I am winning!
God kid from a mad city. I ain't Kendrick
The dope thing about you no matter how much I mimic you
I'm only bringing out the real me
No gimmicks like you
Bridge
And I gonna go from glory to glory
Yeah I'm gonna go from glory to glory
Yeah glory hallelujah
And I gonna go from glory to glory
Yeah I'm gonna go from glory to glory
Yeah glory hallelujah
Chorus
I want to be just like you
Live life everyday like you do
I want to be just you
Cause you took everything that's no good
And made me all brand new
(Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, oh)
Video
Michelle Williams - Just Like You
Meaning & Inspiration
Michelle Williams’ "Just Like You," released on September 9, 2014, as a powerful track from her album *Journey To Freedom*, offers a profound spiritual declaration. This song is far more than just a musical offering; it’s an intimate prayer set to rhythm, articulating a deep-seated longing for spiritual transformation and a Christ-like existence. It directly addresses the believer's yearning to mirror the character and love of Jesus in every aspect of life, resonating with anyone on a journey of faith.
The essence of "Just Like You" lies in its transparent portrayal of a soul desiring complete alignment with the Divine. The opening verse, "I really wanna live inside of your heart where love resides," expresses a yearning for intimate communion with God, echoing the sentiment of 1 John 4:16, where abiding in God's love means God abides in us. The aspiration to be "the apple of your eye" reflects a desire for God's precious affection and care, a theme found throughout Scripture in passages like Deuteronomy 32:10 and Zechariah 2:8. By invoking figures like David, Esther, and Elijah, the song paints a picture of wanting to embody the faith, courage, and divine favor these biblical heroes experienced, each known for their unique relationship and service to God—David as a man after God's own heart (Acts 13:22), Esther for her providential courage (Esther 4:14), and Elijah for his unwavering prophetic power (1 Kings 18).
The pre-chorus, with its declaration, "I want to go faith to faith," speaks to an ongoing process of spiritual growth, drawing parallels to Romans 1:17, which describes righteousness being revealed from faith to faith. The desire to "see your face when I look in the mirror everyday" beautifully encapsulates the journey of sanctification—becoming increasingly like Christ and reflecting His glory, as articulated in 2 Corinthians 3:18: "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another." This leads powerfully into the core message of the chorus: "I want to be just like you, Live life everyday like you do." It's a straightforward, yet profound plea for Christ-centered living, a daily pursuit of the mind and actions of Jesus, as exhorted in Philippians 2:5. The transformative power of salvation is then highlighted by the lines, "Cause you took everything that's no good and made me all brand new," affirming the truth of 2 Corinthians 5:17, where in Christ, we become a new creation.
Verse two continues this theme of divine transformation, with Williams attributing her joy and inner light directly to God: "I look at my smile. That's yours. You gave it to me when you said I was reborn." This connects the outward expression of joy with the spiritual rebirth found in Christ (John 3:3), a joy that is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). The recognition that "that light that they see me shining that's not mine. It came from you when I made you my desire" humbly acknowledges that any good seen in her is a reflection of God's glory, echoing Matthew 5:16, which calls believers to let their light shine for others to see God's work.
Chief Wakil's rap verse adds another layer of theological depth and personal testimony. His lines, "It's ironic if my eyes ain't focused on the Son I don't see right," emphasize Christ as the ultimate source of spiritual clarity and vision, aligning with Hebrews 12:2 to fix our eyes on Jesus. The clever play on "genes" when he says, "I guess it's in my genes, I ain't talking about Levi's," powerfully conveys the spiritual inheritance and identity believers have as children of God, a birthright granted through faith (John 1:12). He openly admits, "My rights don't outweigh my wrongs, But you still took more whips than the car show," humbly recognizing human sinfulness while magnifying Christ's immense sacrificial atonement on the cross, a clear reference to Isaiah 53:5. The statement, "My debt has been paid since the day I was born," beautifully summarizes the finished work of Christ and the complete forgiveness offered to those in Him, a truth celebrated in Romans 5:8 and Colossians 2:13-14. His declaration that "no matter how much I mimic you I'm only bringing out the real me, No gimmicks like you" presents a profound paradox: true self-discovery and authenticity are found not in self-focus, but in imitating Christ, revealing the true identity God designed for us (Ephesians 4:22-24).
The bridge, with its repeated chant of "And I gonna go from glory to glory," reinforces the ongoing, dynamic nature of the Christian walk, a continuous transformation by the Spirit, progressively conforming us to Christ's image—a powerful echo of 2 Corinthians 3:18. "Just Like You" stands as a beacon of encouragement, a song that doesn't just entertain but truly inspires. It's a rich tapestry of faith, hope, and the beautiful pursuit of Christ-likeness, affirming that in striving to be like Him, we discover the fullest, most authentic version of ourselves.