Immitiation is the Highest Form Of Flattery (More Learning From Ethan)

That up there is me and Ethan. I'm the taller one on the right. Other than that I have a goatee now, we both look pretty much the same. This is a common occurrence at our house, the two of us doing the exact same thing. If I sit, Ethan has to sit next to me. He follows me wherever I go.

A side story is that I always have five items on my person: A watch, my wallet, my keys, my cell phone, and a cross and chain my wife gave me as a wedding gift that I wear around my neck. I now have no excuse to forget my anniversary, or my initials for that matter.

The other day I was playing around with Ethan, and all these items were sitting on the footstool in our living room. He takes my necklace, puts it around his neck, and tucks it into his shirt just like I do. He took my watch, handed it to me, said "Help!" and held out his wrist. Because I love him dearly, I put my watch on him. I also clipped my wallet, keys, and cell phone to the elastic band of his pajama pants. (Side note: Yes, he did make a phone call on my cell phone, to his mommy.)

I automatically assumed that he does this because he wants to be just like his daddy, which is true. But the reason that he wants to be just like me is because he loves me. If you have been reading my posts, most notably Like A Child, you will know that Ethan has everything figured out, and that I have a lot to learn from him. From his example, I have learned a little bit more about how I should imitate my Heavenly Father.

It says in Ephesians 5:1-2 for us to "be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us." No, that doesn't mean we go around making commandments and turning water into wine. We are here to spread the message of the Gospel, just as the life of Jesus IS the gospel. In fact, one of the last things Jesus says before his ascension is telling us to spread the gospel, teaching all the world to obey what he has commanded us. Some people can do this globally. For the rest of us, it might just be a local thing.

My son imitates me, and someday his children will imitate him, and their children will imitate them. If I imitate Christ, then Ethan will grow up to imitate Christ as well. If you imitate Christ, and teach others to do the same, then they will learn to imitate Christ as well. In turn, they will teach others, who will teach others, and so on. The little local thing can turn into something larger pretty quickly.

So I leave you with this question: Who, or what, are you imitating?

Amen