Be an Imitator

Ephesians 5: 1-2
"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."
Have you ever heard someone say to you or to someone you know to imitate someone? Now this could come in a variety of settings for you. Maybe your coach told you to imitate a certain player or your teacher told you to develop study habits like your older brother or sister or your parents have told you that they wish you were just more like your sister or brother. Whichever the case when we are told to imitate someone we know that that simply means to take on some of the same characteristics or attributes that the individual possesses. As we read Ephesians 5:1-2 today we see a different call of imitation. We see a call to imitate someone much greater than a fellow player or student or family member. We are called to be imitator's of God! The same God that created the entire universe and sent his son to this slum we call Earth. To live a life of serving others and loving all (no matter what their background) and most importantly loving his father (God) through all of that. Whose life are you imitating? Maybe your thinking "imitate God?" Are you kidding? There is no way I could even think about starting to do that. In the book of 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 it tells us a little bit about imitating God and how we can do so in our own lives. Listen to what it says, "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perserves. Love never fails." Sound like the creator of the universe to you? Sound like a love that would send his own son to a cross to be cruicified and be raised three days later so you could experience eternal life with him? I think so.