Imitate

We are making our way through a letter Paul wrote to Jesus followers in Corinth. Today, Paul reminds us of an old adage.


1 Corinthians 4
14 I am not writing these things to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children. 15 For even if you had ten thousand others to teach you about Christ, you have only one spiritual father. For I became your father in Christ Jesus when I preached the Good News to you. 16 So I urge you to imitate me. 17 That’s why I have sent Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of how I follow Christ Jesus, just as I teach in all the churches wherever I go. 18 Some of you have become arrogant, thinking I will not visit you again. 19 But I will come - and soon - if the Lord lets me, and then I’ll find out whether these arrogant people just give pretentious speeches or whether they really have God’s power. 20 For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power. 21 Which do you choose? Should I come with a rod to punish you, or should I come with love and a gentle spirit?


Imitate. Paul encouraged the church at Corinth to imitate him ... to imitate the way he followed Jesus. I think he would encourage us to do the same thing ... have someone to imitate. Someone that is further along in their journey of following Jesus. At the same time, I think we need to be providing an example to imitate for people that are just starting their journey of following Jesus. I think the key to how we choose who to imitate and how we provide an example is found in verse 20. Take a second and reread it. I love that verse. We should be able to see God living through the people we choose to imitate. People that choose to imitate us should see God living through us. I guess it is true ... actions speak louder than words.

I pray you have a Happy Thanksgiving.
Eastside Journey will return on Monday.