Imitate

“You became imitators of us & of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.” – 1 Thessalonians 1:6 NIV

THIS is what we’re supposed to do with our relationship to the Lord; imitate. That says the party being imitated is fully trusted. So Paul imitated Christ with his life & thus we are to imitate Christ as well. Jesus Christ is the only true and consistent example of perfection regarding how to think, say and do that is pleasing to the Father.

It’s interesting how young people typically seek to be like some athlete or celebrity; for boys, the athlete, and for girls, the celebrity. That’s all well and good as long as the athlete or celebrity are a person the parents feel are worthy of being imitated. As believers in Christ, we should strive to gently steer our kids toward good role models. Maybe their dad or mom are their role model.  They may be too young to know to imitate the good and disregard the bad behavior; however, as a parent who has made a mistake, that too can be a valuable life lesson. No one is perfect, only Almighty God.

The only truly safe person to imitate is Jesus Christ Himself. He never makes mistakes and advises thru His behavioral example how to live your life. Imitating perfection will no doubt bring many frustrating moments, but the Lord’s patience and kindness toward us will help us grow our moral / ethical self exponentially.

Make the only choice that has any lasting value; choose to follow Christ and learn how to live from the One who knows you better than you know yourself. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries