Be imitators
Last Spring I heard Melinda Gates speak at an event to promote her new book. She shared a story about Bill driving their daughter to school as a way to help out with parenting responsibilities. An interesting thing happened as other moms saw Bill Gates driving his daughter to school, they suggested their husbands should drive their kids. Basically the moms said ” If Bill Gates can do it so can you.” And guess what? More dads starting driving their kids to school. I have included a link to this story at the end of post. I think it is worth reading.
Their story struck a chord with me for a couple of reasons. One because for many years my husband or I drove our daughters to and from school. And two because people are watching how we live our lives. They see the things we do or don’t do. Sometimes they imitate us.
“Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,” Philippians 2: 14-15 NKJV
“Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.” Ephesians 5:1-2 NKJV
Dennis Kinlaw in his book This Day With The Master (April 27) states:
“One day I was reading through the book of Ephesians, I found myself laughing aloud when I came across Ephesians 5:1, “Be imitators of God.” How can someone like me imitate God? Many of his attributes immediately came into my mind…I looked again at the passage: “and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” My laughter faded as I realized that God wants us to imitate his lifestyle, not his attributes…Then I realized that Paul was asking us to imitate the God we see on Calvary, the God who cares more about someone else than he does himself…If we let his Spirit fill us, we will find that his love comes with his presence. Then we can live as he lived because he will be living through us.”
Paul isn’t calling us to be imitators of God’s attributes – omnipotent, omniscient or omnipresent. We can’t imitate those things but we can try to live a life of love.
“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Ephesians 5:1-2 NIV
“Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.” Ephesians 5:1-2 The Message
https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-bill-melinda-gates-drive-daughter-to-school-2019-4
A good word today, Ann. And the question for me is”Do I live in such a way that others can imitate me as I follow Jesus? “
Luwana, that is the question for most of us.
Thank you for the reminder to reflect who we are in Christ for others to see.
It is a reminder to me as well. “so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders.” 1 Thessalonians 4:12
Great post and reminder that people are watching what we do. May we all lead others to do great things for the Kingdom.
Amen.