Copy
Cat
By Jen Wollner
“Be imitators of
God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as
Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice
to God.”
Ephesians 5:1-2
Not too long ago, my daughter and I shared a rare meal alone. My husband and two boys were gone, which left us with time for mother/daughter bonding. She loves eggs, so even though it was suppertime, I made scrambled eggs and toast. As we were enjoying our “breakfast for dinner,” I noticed that my daughter was copying everything I did. If I took a bite of eggs, she took one. If I picked up my toast, she picked up hers. If I drank my milk, she did the same. I took note because this is not a common mealtime occurrence. If the five of us are all eating together, she just eats and is distracted by the commotion of the meal. If anything, she is more inclined to copy the inappropriate behaviors of her brothers! But, since the two of us were alone, she was really focused on me. She was watching my every move closely and imitating all that she saw.
Our verse for today tells us that we, as children of God, should be imitators of Christ. Specifically, we should copy Jesus in the way He loved. While here on earth, He showed His love in many ways, but with one common thread: He loved sacrificially. He gave of Himself…all of Himself…to others. Throughout the Scriptures, we see examples of Jesus giving His time, His energy, His power, His resources and, ultimately, His very life to those around Him. And, He made it clear that He didn’t do anything apart from His Father. He stayed deeply connected with the Father, often spending time alone with Him in prayer. This ensured that He would always be focused on God and follow His lead, and giving us an example to imitate.
As we spend time in God’s Word and in prayer, catching a glimpse of the way Jesus loved sacrificially, we can then imitate Him and show others that same kind of love. What a blessing to have the perfect example to copy!
GOING DEEPER:
1. Have you spent time alone with the Lord today, getting to know Him better so that you can accurately imitate Him in all you do?
2. To whom could you show sacrificial love today? What could you do for that person?
FURTHER READING:
1 John 3:16-17
Jen and her husband
are busily parenting three elementary-aged children. She serves on the
leadership team for Mission: Hope, Oakwood’s orphan care ministry.
