I have recently become more aware, that I am looking and sound more and more like my mother. It’s something we might look forward to or dread! My son is often referred to as a spitting image of his dad – indeed I have photos of each of them aged about 5, and it is only because one is black and white that you can tell who is who!
Some people have made a career out of being good imitators or impersonators, Jon Culshaw or Rory Bremner for example, and who can forget of course the TV programme that satirised Maggie Thatcher and politicians of the 80’s and 90’s, “Spitting Image”.
In our housegroup recently we have been following a Bible Study course on 1 Thessalonians, by LICC, “Holiness and Hope in a hostile world”. Our most recent sessions looked at Paul as an imitator of Christ, and what this means for us today.
Whereas “Spitting Image” was satirical and picked up on people’s amusing or obvious characteristics in a humorous, and not always kind way, we are called to imitate Christ in a positive and Christ-like way. After all there are no negative characteristics of Christ for us to imitate.
What I find really helpful in this course, is that it is in simple things that we can imitate Christ.
It is speaking with integrity and sincerity, in acting with kindness and generosity, that we imitate Christ.
The message of unconditional love given freely to all who will receive it, is the same message that Jesus taught over 2000 years ago. We may choose a variety of ways to share that message, dependant on where and to whom we are speaking, but the message remains the same.
Let us be good imitators of Christ in everything we do and say, so that the world will see what a wonderful thing it is to be a follower or imitator of Christ.