Do as I do

DO AS I DO

 

Therefore I urge you to imitate me. (1 Corinthians 4:16)

 

            The film March of the Penguins documents the arduous journey over frozen tundra that emperor penguins take each winter to reproduce. The extreme conditions these animals will endure to ensure the survival of their species is extraordinary—just short of unbelievable. Both the egg and the newborn stay under the protection of the parent's warm body, for if exposed in that frigid environment, they would perish quickly. As they mature and venture out, they imitate their parents' behaviors to learn how to survive on their own.

Seeing the penguin parents—their struggles, their endurance, and determination—reminds me of Paul and his commitment to reproducing himself—a person wholly devoted to Christ and striving to be like Him.

The Christians at Ephesus were immature and worldly. Paul called them “mere infants” in 1 Corinthians 3:1. Paul, on the other hand, “had it all together” spiritually to use today's vernacular. In spite of being hungry, thirsty, dressed in rags, brutally treated, and homeless, he emulated Christ daily. Because Paul loved them, he asked these new Christians to imitate him. Why? Because he had led them to Christ, and he knew until they became spiritually stronger, they needed to imitate him in order to make the transition to maturity.

 

—Joann Eastburn

 

Are you living a Christian life worthy of imitating?