Be Imitators
“Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 11:1
One of my favorite things to do in the spring and summer is to mow the lawn. I love the warm sun on my face and the feeling of accomplishment once the work is finished. But, the main reason I love mowing the lawn is because of who is right behind me the whole time. My four-year-old son, Stokes, loves mowing the lawn with me and he imitates everything I do- even down to using a small red lawnmower that looks like mine. The funny thing is, I used to do the exact same thing when I was my son’s age.
We learn best by watching and imitating others and that is exactly what Paul is talking about in this verse. God created us to live in community with others and much of our spiritual growth comes from imitating other Christians. As we imitate other Christians, we learn how to love and serve God in our own lives. Are the people we follow perfect? No even close. The Apostle Paul never claimed to be perfect. In fact, he called himself the “chief of sinners.” But, he knew firsthand that God could use the weakest people to display the good news of the Gospel of Jesus.
There’s an old saying that goes, “God can strike a straight blow with a crooked stick” and this is a very hopeful thought because it helps us remember that God uses imperfect people in remarkable ways.
Throughout the New Testament Jesus called others by simply saying, “Follow me…” and that is still the call for us today. By following in the footsteps of others, we learn to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. God has given us everything we need to follow in Jesus’ footsteps. He has given us His Word, the Holy Spirit, other Christians, and grace for when we mess up. Now, Jesus is calling us to learn and grow by imitating others who are imitating Him.