Follow God's example, therefore, as dearly loved children 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. – Ephesians 5:1-2

Today's Scripture Reading (April 10, 2021): Ephesians 5

Novelist and social critic James Baldwin argued that "Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them." It is the reason why I think that Harry Chapin's 1974 folk song, "Cats in the Cradle," is one of the saddest songs ever written. In the final chapter of the story, we find that the child has imitated the parent and even mimicked the father's excuses to delay spending time with his son. The child had learned his lessons well.

Children are natural imitators. And so, Paul encourages the Ephesians to be imitators of God, as dearly loved children. If we are his children, we should be willing to imitate our Father, taking on ourselves, his characteristics. But this shouldn't be an unreal expectation to which we are commanded to conform, but rather something that we want to do because God is "Our Father in heaven."

Unfortunately, we often seem to react in reverse. When Peter writes, ^"but just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy,'" our reaction is often to ask "how can we, who are not God, ever be holy?" What if we were to, instead, embrace Peter's words by saying, "we, who are the children of God, want to imitate the holiness of God, even if, as children, we do so imperfectly."

Theologian Charles Spurgeon wrote

"What are we sent into the world for? Is it not that we may keep men in mind of God, whom they are most anxious to forget? If we are imitators of God, as dear children, they will be compelled to recollect that there is a God, for they will see his character reflected in ours. I have heard of an atheist who said he could get over every argument except the example of his godly mother: he could never answer that."

I dream of the day when we, God's children, become so wrapped up in the imitation of our Father that those who oppose the church look at us and say, "I don't believe that there is a God, except that I see him reflected in his church, his children; I don't have an answer for that." Unfortunately, that is not the reality. Our critics often fail to believe that there is a God because the church doesn't look anything like him. If we reflect the image of the living God, then they want nothing to do with that kind of God.

When God wanted to make his presence known to his people, he sent his prophets, often with a message of God's love for his children. And in the ultimate act of love, he sent his son. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). So, as God loved us, go and love the world. In this, be holy, imitating "Our Father in heaven." 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Ephesians 6