The phrase “accept no imitations” is pretty common. People value originality and being labeled an imitation is often a put down. In reality, we all imitate something or someone to an extent; therefore, we are all called to be careful about who and what we imitate. Imitating someone doesn’t mean we aren’t real or genuine, it simply means we recognize value and want to emulate what we see in our own lives.
“Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.”
3 John 1:11
“Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.”
1 Corinthians 11:1
“Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.”
Ephesians 5:1
God created us to be unique individuals and He created us to imitate Him. One of the great mysteries and glories of God is that when we look to Him, He shows each of us certain aspects of His character that we are called to imitate.
Some things are constant like loving our neighbors, honoring our parents, and valuing others more than ourselves. Then there are things that He shows us in certain seasons of our lives. Places we need to grow, sins we need to eliminate, mindsets we need to release. He’ll open our eyes to a marvelous new view of who He is so that we can begin to imitate that characteristic in our own lives.
Don’t overlook these precious revelations. Lean into them and seek out the fullness of knowing God in new and awe inspiring ways. Imitate what you see when you look to God and you’ll begin to see changes in your life you never would have imagined. Blessings like increased peace during trials, greater resilience when working with “difficult” people, more compassion for those who are struggling, and more discernment into the hearts of your neighbors.
Imitate God and your character will change as it develops into a picture that looks more like the unique masterpiece He created you to be. When we imitate God as His dear children, we discover that imitation is not only how we praise Him but how we become our true selves.
Father, open our eyes to see You and spark the will to imitate You as we open our hearts and minds to your instruction.