The Power of Imitation
My son needed a new pair of shoes recently. He’s ten years old, so it feels like we buy new shoes every three days. We were looking online and happened to scroll past the same running shoes I was wearing. “Oh, Dad! I want those,” he said. “I want the same shoes as you.”
We are in that stage, one I know to appreciate while it lasts, where my son imitates me. If you’ve raised more than one child, you know that it’s common for children to go through a season where they want to look and act just like mom or dad. Sometimes, this is intentional. Other times, they can’t help it. My daughters and I were walking behind my wife and son on a recent hike, and we all started laughing. My wife and son have the same walk; they both kind of pull their shoulders back and exaggerate their arm swing. My son was imitating my wife without even trying.
Have you ever considered the role imitation plays in our faith? Believe it or not, imitation is an essential concept in the New Testament when it comes to maturing as Christians.
The Apostle Paul had a firm grasp on the importance of imitation. In Ephesians 5:1-2, Paul gives a general call for all Christ-followers to imitate God:
“Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children, and walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.”
Here, Paul provides a succinct definition of discipleship, especially in relation to our status as children adopted into God’s family. But Paul goes even deeper with this concept elsewhere in Scripture.
In 1 Corinthians 11:1, Paul says,
“Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.”
In 1 Corinthians 4:16, he says,
“I urge you, then, be imitators of me.”
And in 1 Thessalonians 1:6, he says,
“And you became imitators of us and of the Lord . . .”
Don’t miss what Paul is saying here. He is talking to Christ-followers who are young in their faith and saying to them, “If you want to know what it means to be a Christian, look at me and then do what I do.”
Here’s a question: If someone who didn’t have a saving relationship with Jesus imitated your faith, how sound would their faith be?
If someone young in their faith copied your faith, what would their faith look like? Let’s go a step further: If your children modeled the faith they see you live, what kind of faith would they have? I don’t know about you, but these questions stop me in my tracks.
Many of us are obediently modeling godliness for our others. While there is always room for growth, many Christians live in such a way that others, especially their children, look to them and see a vibrant, solid faith. But there are others for whom this question will be a God-sized burden of conviction.
Part of growing as Christ-followers is looking to those around us who are living out a healthy faith and seeking to imitate their postures and practices. But we can never forget that we are a model for others. Very few of us are “influence neutral.” We all have people we influence. Some of us have a lot of influence; others have a relatively small amount. But all of us have someone who is watching. What we do with this influence is critical.
I will never tire of my son imitating how I talk, dress, or walk. But I am aware that he’s picking up other things, things with far weightier consequences.
This article originally appeared in the Good For You Newsletter, Vol: 17.
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