Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. —Ephesians 5:1
Have you ever had a situation where you had to exchange your immediate behavior? Maybe you were talking angrily to your kids, and as soon as the phone rang you switched to your happy voice? Or maybe you were in an argument with your spouse and someone came to the door and you immediately lowered your voice and changed its tone? Or have you been angry but didn’t want someone to know so you quickly slapped on a smile?
It happens all the time! We’re confronted daily with situations where we simply have to act right. Let me ask you a few more questions to make the point: Have you ever met someone you really admired and found yourself trying to imitate them? Were you so taken by them that you wanted to do exactly what they were doing?
Pull out your Bible and read Ephesians 5:1. Doesn’t Apostle Paul ask us to do this very thing? He says, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.” The word is a Greek word mimetes, which means to imitate someone or to mimic what you see someone else doing. It’s used to describe actors or performing artists who acted on a stage for their profession. It frequently depicts modeling a parent, teacher, champion or hero.*
So, who do you imitate in your life? Do you have a personal hero? Are you taken with people who know God, talk like Him, and walk like Him? What captures your fascination? Does God? I would suggest if you are not fascinated with God it’s not because He’s not fascinating. The lack of perspective always lies within us.
* Renner, Rick. Sparkling Gems (Page 137) Published 2003. Print.
