Reading: Philippians
3:17-4:1
The coach takes the child aside with the ball. She tells
her, “Grip the ball this way. Watch how my arm rotates over my shoulder. See
how my wrist snaps at the very end. Now you do it!”
Much of life is imitation. We learn to talk by listening
and imitating. We get the idea to walk by seeing our parents or siblings
walking. Imitation can even form our life of faith.
Paul says, “Imitate me.” He urges us to copy his doctrine,
his way of life, his worship, his faith, and especially his trust in Jesus as
his savior.
The first name for the Christian faith was simply, “The
Way.” Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and those who believed in him
were known as followers of The Way. I think that sounds much more compelling
than Lutheran, Catholic, Presbyterian, or any other denomination’s name. When
Jesus called the disciples he said, “Follow me.” They followed the way he led,
the way he taught, the way lived, and the way he believed.
To be sure, following Jesus the way that Paul followed
Jesus means that his teachings would match Jesus’ teaching. True doctrine is
very important. Paul’s life, however, also followed Jesus’ life. It modeled his
actions. When both doctrine and life imitate Jesus that is when we are standing
firm in the faith. We will be trusting in Jesus for our salvation and striving
to live godly lives as the Holy Spirit guides and empowers us.
To imitate Paul is to imitate Jesus. It is to hope in
Jesus’ death and resurrection, and to live a life that displays our faith and
forgiveness.
Where do you struggle to imitate Jesus and Paul? How do
the teaching of the Scripture shape the way you live your life? Has imitating a
fellow believer every helped you understand God’s Word better?
Dear God, you
called Paul to be an apostle who imitated Jesus, and, as he did so, he called
us to imitate him. Thank you for examples, for godly men and women who we might
imitate and learn from for our own walk of faith. Forgive us for the many times
that we have imitated the world rather than our Lord Jesus in the way we live,
talk, and believe. Shape us and form us so that we will be better imitations of
Jesus so that others might truly meet Jesus through us. In his name we pray.
Amen.
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