Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are His dear children.

Ephesians ‭5:1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Growing up I would grab the red towel from our linen closet, tie it around my neck, put on some goggles and pretended to be a superhero.  

Raising four daughters, I remember their world of “playing dress up.”  The girls had storage bins of dress up clothes and accessories that looked like a couture’s thrift store.  By playing dress up, they were imitating fashion they had seen on TV, books or from their own creative sense.

A familiar adage is attributed to Charles Caleb Colton from the mid-1800’s, “Imitation is sincerest form of flattery.”  The apostle Paul, writing to disciples of Christ in Ephesus, encouraged them to be “imitators” of God . . . not as an accolade of flattery, but as an admonition to follow.

Is imitating God as easy as raiding the “dress up box” of spiritual attire?  Some have advocated this approach by “stylizing” what a follower of Christ looks like, talks like and acts like.  Paul gave some instructive insight into walking through life as an “imitator of God”.

We Walk In Love.  

Paul wrote, “and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Eph 5:2‬ ‭NIV‬‬)  Scripture is full of instructions of how we are to love (1 Cor 13), forbearing (Col 3:13,) forgiving (Eph 4:32) and accepting one another (Rom 15:7).  The simplest and strongest description of love is giving in and giving up.  We take the priority off ourselves and make others more important.  To the Christ-imitators in Philippi, Paul shared, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” (Phil 2:3 ESV)

We Walk In Light.  

Paul warned these followers about potential “posers” . . . in The Message, Eugene Peterson gave an insightful interpretation of someone who is posing as a disciple, “Don’t let yourselves get taken in by religious smooth talk. God gets furious with people who are full of religious sales talk but want nothing to do with Him. Don’t even hang around people like that.” (Eph 5:6-7 MSG).  We’re encouraged, “. . . do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true).” (Eph 5:7-9 ESV). Walking in light is walking with Christ.  It’s traveling in what is good, right and true.  It’s matching our walk with our talk.  It’s strolling with our Savior in all situations.

We Walk In Wisdom.  

We are to “be very careful how [we] live – not as unwise but as wise, taking advantage of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” (Eph 5:15-16 NLT)  We trade our foolishness for wisdom when we spend time in His presence, understand His priorities and live with His purpose in mind.  Paul said it like this, “For this reason do not be foolish, but be wise by understanding what the Lord’s will is.” (Eph 5:17 NIV).  At the end of the day, it all comes down to a control issue . . . who or what is controlling us?  Our only option is God’s Spirit. (Eph 5:18)

The way we follow Jesus is different, dynamic and deliberate . . . walking in love, walking in light and walking as He leads. 

When we walk this way we are imitating our God.