Imitation abounds. We eat it: imitation syrup, buttery spreads and mock duck. We wear it: imitation leather, faux cotton and silk. And we are entertained by it: animated movies, video games, virtual worlds. “Imitation is the sincerest [form] of flattery,” observed Charles Colton in 1820. Ours is a very flattering society. Imitation, it seems, is part of our social DNA. From our early years, for instance, we learn to mimic the behaviors and nuances of our parents and others we spend time with. It comes naturally from observation. When it comes to the Christian life, the highest praise we can give, too, is the imitation of our loving Father. That’s why we’re instructed to observe His ways and make them our own.
Your thoughts? What things have you observed in your relationship with God that you’d like to imitate better?