The Imitation Game

Hebrews 6:12 reveals that the imitation game remains important as we mature in faith: "imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised." We must choose people of strong faith who demonstrate patient, long-term service in God's Kingdom. Fortunately, many such faithful examples surround us in Munholland. I'm sure you've been inspired by different Christians throughout your life—during childhood, college years, or early career. It is interesting that the ordinary Christian who we so admire is rarely flashy or verbose. They tend to be unselfconscious and are joyful about the Father’s business.

Imitating someone worthy of emulation doesn't happen by accident. We must be intentional about whom we choose to follow. As the knight guarding the Holy Grail wisely advised Indiana Jones, we need to "choose wisely." If we don't deliberately select someone to imitate, someone will be chosen for us by default. Look around at our world today, and you can see how that approach has worked out. The results are, shall we say, less than ideal.

What if someone chose to imitate you? Paul boldly declared, "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1). Paul was not saying he was perfect. He recognizes his short fallings. His point is that he knows he is following someone worth imitating and that others should join the holy imitation game. 

You cannot tell children and grandchildren "do as I say, not as I do"—they're imitating what they actually experience, not your smoke and mirrors. This reality hit me when my son grew old enough to speak. I realized my words and tone were not what I wanted my children to emulate, so I embarked on a personal overhaul. One thing I hope they learned from me was the ability to say, “I’m sorry for _________, would you forgive me?” I had to say that many times. Kay Lapeyre once observed that "children grow you up," and she was right on many levels. Whether you like it or not, people in your life observe what you say and do to determine what they can say and do. There's no opting out of the imitation game—life follows a chain of imitation.

Who are you imitating, and who is imitating you?

Blessings,

Jonathan