“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly beloved children.” Ephesians 5: 1

Dani is finally old enough to appreciate her toys. One of her favourites is this touch-sensitive animal book she got as a gift. At first, she didn’t know how to interact with it so I would grab her little finger and force her to feel the fur of the different animals. Her natural response was to immediately retract her hand and close the book. It frustrated the both of us. Eventually I realized that when I touch the fur first, she follows. It’s not that she didn’t want the experience, she just wanted the freedom to do it herself. People learn by imitation. 

It’s quite meaningful that Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11: 1, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” Jesus did everything he commanded us to do. He set the example and simply said, “Follow me”. He commands us to offer ourselves as living sacrifices because he first offered himself totally to the Father on our behalf. He commands that we love our enemies because while we were still enemies of God, he died for us. He commands that I forgive because a million times over he has forgiven me, to the point of shedding his blood. God made it so that we cannot disciple unless we first become a disciple.

I am not quite at the point where I can say confidently to Dani, “Imitate me.” It actually quite scares me to see how observant she is, that she picks up my every movement and word and does, in fact, imitate me. (Big wake up call – she already knows how to use her finger on touch screens.) The responsibility to guide this little soul in such a crazy world is so heavy. How can I do it, Lord? “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children”. Paul writes this so that the focus is not just to imitate for the sake of it, but to do so knowing our identity as “dearly loved children”. A stranger might imitate out of admiration; a child imitates out of trust and love. We are so dearly loved by our Heavenly Father. He has loved us perfectly in Jesus Christ. In this security and identity, we also can perfectly love in Jesus Christ.

Father, I trust you with all my heart. Help me to imitate you as a dearly loved child that Dani might one day, too. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.