I would actually find striving to live Christ's example on Earth to be the most terrifying and exhausting existence: because He was perfect. He taught that it's not enough to follow the 10 Commandments, but that even breaking them in our hearts and minds was enough to condemn us. Trying to emulate a person who increased the severity of what it means to break a commandment would be a hard existence; one none of us could achieve. And then, on top of that, to love and pray for your enemies and do good to those who would abuse me, including dying on their behalf? Sheesh. I couldn't do that.
Unless you mean "I try to be nice, share, and play well with others" when you say "I strive to live Christ's example here on Earth". To follow in someone's footsteps while denying their fundamental claims about their identity is strange IMO. Why bother trying to emulate someone if you reject their claims to authority? Was Jesus a good person, yes! But there are plenty of other moral figures we could emulate too, so why Jesus?
Well of course it went to worship and Lordship: Jesus is my Lord and my God who is worthy to receive honor and praise (credit where credit is due, right?).
What's most important to me is the question "Is Jesus who He claimed to be?" Because if He's not the Son of God, then He was either a liar or insane. And insane liars are not worth emulating. If Jesus is telling the truth about being the Son of God and His death did pay for all my sins, that changes everything.