copycat

Follow God’s example in everything you do just as a much loved child imitates his father.

- Ephesians 5:1 (TLB)

 

Copycat!!!!
Those were words you never wanted to hear as a child. 
Honestly, most adults don’t want to hear them either because it really has a negative connotation.
People who become copycats are generally lacking self esteem, they want what someone else has so they copy that person to try and get it.
Then there is the expression “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” which is saying that the copycat is complimenting the person they choose to copy.
It is a completely different idea when we imitate God – we should imitate God! 
In fact, the New King James Version of this verse reads “Therefore, be imitators of God as dearly loved children”, but I chose The Living Bible translation for a purpose.
In 1994 Phillips, Craig and Dean released the song I Want To Be Just Like You, here are some of the lyrics:
He climbs in my lap for a goodnight hug

He calls me Dad and I call him Bub

With his faded old pillow, a bear named Pooh

He snuggles up close and says, "I want to be like you"

I tuck him in bed and I kiss him goodnight

Trippin' over the toys as I turn out the light

I whisper a prayer that someday he'll see

He's got a father in God 'cause he's seen Jesus in me

Lord, I want to be just like You

'Cause he wants to be just like me

I want to be a holy example

For his innocent eyes to see

Help me be a living Bible, Lord

That my little boy can read

I want to be just like You

'Cause he wants to be like me

Got to admit I've got so far to go

Make so many mistakes and I'm sure that You know

Sometimes it seems no matter how hard I try

With all the pressures in life I just can't get it all right

But I'm trying so hard to learn from the best

Being patient and kind, filled with Your tenderness

'Cause I know that he'll learn from the things that he sees

And the Jesus he finds will be the Jesus in me

Lord, I want to be just like You

'Cause he wants to be just like me

I want to be a holy example

For his innocent eyes to see

Help me be a living Bible, Lord

That my little boy can read

I want to be just like You

'Cause he wants to be like me

Right now from where he stands, I may seem mighty tall

But it's only 'cause I'm learning from the best father of them all

Lord, I want to be just like You

'Cause he wants to be just like me

I want to be a holy example

For his innocent eyes to see

Help me be a living Bible, Lord

That my little boy can read

I want to be just like You

'Cause he wants to be like me

We’ve always said that children live what they learn, (that is a completely different quote), so shouldn’t we want them to see us imitating God?

Think about who else might be watching when you do things, who might follow your lead.
I’ve written about the “pay it forward” concept before, how what one person does can cause a chain reaction or a ripple effect of good deeds.
Now think about the opposite, how terrible it would be if people saw something terrible and went on to do something equally awful.
In 1889,  Oscar Wilde said “Life imitates art far more that art imitates life” and he argued that rather than merely copy, life imitates art because life craves a kind of expression found in great art.

What if we craved the kind of expression we see in Jesus, and we started to imitate Him?  

 

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Daily Inspiration from the Bible