“Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.” (Ephesians 5:1 NKJV)
Children say the darned-est things don’t they! If you have a niece, nephew, or children of your own, then you know the worlds that come forth out of their mouths can be quite a shocker! Especially, the young ones. Kindergartners and preschoolers are known to innocently tell their parents’ business without any ill or evil intention of spreading gossip. Smaller kids are also known to imitate the habits, words, and actions of their older siblings and parents because they want to imitate the people they love and admire.
Like little children, we saints must examine our behavior to see if we’re imitating Christ or behaving like the world. Are we soaking up all the world’s habits: gossiping at work about drama, adopting critical attitudes towards our struggling neighbors, or holding unto bitterness instead of forgiving the people who hurt us? Jesus is our focal point. He is the person who should have our utmost admiration and love. Everyday we should be finding new ways to be in His shadow and walk in His steps for we are called children of God. This is why we’re called to be “imitators of God as dear children,” because through imitation is where we’re influenced, and adopt the characteristics and behavior of the people we’re following.
As Christians we’re called by Jesus to be the light and salt of the world. For it is written, “13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.” (Matt: 5:13). We’re made to make people see their need for Christ, to recognize how pointless, how purposeless, life is without the Creator. If we’re not making people thirsty for Christ, pointing to Jesus and His work on the Cross, then we are purposeless and poor imitators of Jesus. It is more than wearing a scriptural t-shirt or giving godly advice, it is living out the commands of Christ, actively finding ways to be more like Jesus. So no more cheap imitations because what Christ has done for us is anything cheap, but priceless!
Think About It
- In what ways are you being badly influenced at work, home, school etc? Why do you think your imitating the world in some areas of your life?
- How can you regain your saltiness in the areas of your life where you are lacking? (Read Romans 12:1-2)
- List ways you can avoid your saltiness being lost again.
O Holy Father show me the areas in my life where I am losing my saltiness. Help me to digest in my spirit that I am first and foremost a Child of God, not a child of the world. I am to be salt, a light of the world and pointing people to the redeeming power of Jesus Christ. In Christ Jesus name, Amen.
A Meeting at the Well 