“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.” -Ephesians 5:1
Last night in our C-Group, we dug in deep into Ephesians 5 and sought to learn what it meant to imitate God. One of the guys made a great point at how his son wanted to imitate him because he looked up to him.
I could relate. It amazes me that these two wonderful boys, Obadiah and Eli, look up to their father. Over the last few weeks, they have hopped around like they were on crutches tryinb to be like Daddy. Obie keeps telling me has a boo boo on his foot like me. On Christmas morning, when they both got guitars, they stepped up to the microphone, stomped on foot pedals, and said, we are “playing and singing like Daddy.”
If imitation is the sincerest of flatteries, then I am a flattered man.
During group last night, I realized something with massive implications: they imitate me because they want to! You may be thinking that is obvious, but do you get the spiritual implications?
When my boys imitate me, they do it because they can; when I imitate God, I do it because I should. And that breaks my heart!
Instead of duty, I want to imitate God because of my desire. I don’t want to imitate God because I have to or I better, I want to because I can’t think of a better thing to do! I want to look at my Father, and just earnestly desire to love people the way he does. I want to talk like him. I want to think like him. I want to act like him. Why? Because I have to? No, because I get to!
Father, if imitation is the sincerest of flatteries, I hope that I make you blush today.
Travis Agnew serves as the Lead Pastor of Rocky Creek Church in Greenville, SC. His most recent book is Just (About) Married.
I love this article…and I'm pretty sure that look that Obi has is exactly like one his daddy makes!!!
Possibly…