Imitation

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.” Ephesians 5:1

I received this short snippet of Scripture in an email the other morning, and my first thought was –where’s the rest of the passage?

My second thought was –Chris, you should know the rest of the thought. “And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

Ok.  What really threw me was the, “be imitators of God.”  This I know.   God is a lot of things that I am not nor will I even pretend to be.  Frankly it would be frightening if I were God or even thought I was.

Which gets to a point.  Paul says, “be imitators….”  The transitive verb “imitate” means, according to Webster, “to follow as a pattern, model, or example.” I know I’ll always be a shallow and flawed imitator of the One I’m supposed “to follow as a pattern, model, or example.”  But that does not mean I should stop trying.  The context of Paul’s words are about being “as beloved children” walking, “in love, as Christ loved us.”   

It’s about love.  God, through Christ, so loved us… (if you can’t finish this sentence visit John 3:16) that we are to imitate his love back into the world around us.  As trusters and believers in Jesus we have been so loved…that we are to love back out. Sacrificially, if needed, as modeled by Jesus.

That is the imitation we are to be about.  We are to “follow as a pattern, model, or example” the incredible undeserved love that Jesus has heaped on us.  And be that love out into a world that is suffering without and even sometimes with Jesus.  Yes I know I will strive to do so, and will do so imperfectly. And I’ll trust God’s grace to cover my imperfections.  But it is a call to all those he calls his own. “Be imitators of God, as beloved children.” 

Got it.