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Imitation is the Most Sincere Form of Flattery

Be ye therefore followers (or imitators) of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour.

Ephesians 5:1-2

This morning I got up and began getting ready for my day. The girls are on spring break so I slept in and planned on eating breakfast at work. Over the scent of shampoo I detected coffee. My youngest daughter had gotten up and started coffee and breakfast. She had two fried eggs, toast and coffee waiting for me. It was a wonderful surprise.

Once I was ready, my daughter dressed in my old bathrobe, accompanied me to the porch to hand me a coffee refill and kiss me goodbye.

I giggled, “What do you want?”

“Nothing, mom, I just wanted to wish you a good day like you do for us.” Her green eyes were wide and innocent.

As I drove to work the saying “Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery”, came to mind. My daughter was imitating me even as far as the kiss and the old bathrobe. Her act of sacrifice of getting up when she didn’t have to was precious to me.

Our children are great imitators of us, even our bad behavior. As Christians, we are to be imitators of Christ for people that we interact with every day, our families, friends, coworkers and even the cashier at the grocery store. Our behavior, whether good or bad, is witnessed and taken in by all those around us. My day was brightened and my heart filled with love and a smile. God is the same when we sacrifice to show others His amazing love; we bring happiness and a smile to His face.

Through the Word we are exhorted to follow as children. Like my daughter’s eyes were on me our eyes should be on God. Unless we see Him as the Father, and have the same dependence and devotion of a child, we can never follow him in the purity of a child.

We need to be more than imitators of Christ, we need to resemble Christ. We were created in His image, given the example of Christ and filled with the Holy Spirit. Our actions should be more than imitations but reflection of Christ to those around us.

Have you resemble Christ today?