Are You Imitating Anyone?

Earlier this week, a friend of mine posted a picture on Facebook of her husband with one of their little children.  They were outside; her husband stretched out in a lawn chair, and next to him, his little boy stretched out in another lawn chair.  What caught my attention — was the imitation.  The little boy was obviously attempting to sit in the exact manner as his father.   Of course, it wasn’t the same.  His little legs couldn’t stretch out as far, he wasn’t tall enough for his head to reach the top of the lawn chair, and his arms were not making the exact pose.  Nonetheless, the attempt to imitate his father was most obvious.

I stared at this very cute photo.  Something began to stir within me.  I began to wonder, as Christians, is it obvious to others that, we, too, are doing our best to imitate Jesus?  Are we trying our best to walk in the manner of His actions?  Are we making noticeable attempt to talk like Him?  Can others see Jesus in us?

Like the little boy, trying his best to copy his Dad, but not able to get it just right, you and I won’t get it just right, either.  But, oh, the joy that comes with the trying.  When we are doing our best to imitate Jesus, the smile on our faces, the inner peace in our hearts, the sheer joy of making the attempt, will be just like the little boy in the lawn chair.

Let’s remember the passage of Scripture found in Ephesians 4:32-5:2, “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ, forgave you.  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.”

Isn’t that amazing, to think that when we imitate Jesus, our attempts are sweet-smelling to our Heavenly Father.

It’s also a lovely picture to those who may be observing us.  Be assured — someone, somewhere, is watching how we imitate the One we claim to love so much.  Let’s try, with God’s own help, to make the  picture they will see, a sweet, touching attempt, like the little boy in the lawn chair.