Start Copying Me
1 Corinthians 11:1 NKJV
Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.
The title of this devotional is a play on words of the cry of my children when they were small. "Stop copying me" would invariably be heard when the kids were kept confined inside for too long. One would start mimicking the other, and the complaints would rise. Not an uncommon phrase among the little ones. And yet here is Paul requesting that the Corinthian church start to imitate him as he imitated Christ.
I was curious about the word imitate. The Olive Tree Dictionary says the Greek word is mimetes, is mimetes, meaning to imitate, to follow. It would appear that we get the word mimic from this same Greek word. What is even more curious, at face value, is that Paul would want to be imitated. Paul, the one who wrote to this same church about not elevating ministers. That ministers like himself were servants of Christ and managers of the mysteries of God. This is the same Paul who wrote, "Who is Paul?" So, this same Paul has now flip-flopped on his position and asked to be imitated?
Paul was not about self-exaltation. Paul says imitate me as he imitated Christ. Paul was presenting himself to the church as an example they could follow. Keeping in mind that the book of 1 Corinthians was not done in chapter and verse, this verse makes more sense when you look at the verses that precede it. Paul was exhorting the church to not give offense to the Jews, the Greeks, and the church of God. To do everything to the glory of God. And to not please themselves but please people in such a way to reach them for the gospel. To please people for their profit, not personal profit, so that they may be saved. Then he says, "Imitate me as I imitate Christ."
We know Jesus did not please Himself but did everything for our benefit. That Jesus did not come to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many. Paul was saying that what he did was done in order to follow the example of Jesus. The word imitate also means to follow. Imitate, in my opinion, is a stronger word. When I think of following, I think of coming in behind one and going where they are going. When I think of imitating, I think of acting like another. So I imitate Christ in my attitude and actions. I am by no means saying I am Jesus, but I am an extension of Him. He is the vine, and I am the branch. I want to produce fruit in my life that looks like Him. What a great goal. If we do this, then we'll be able to say, "Hey, imitate me as I imitate the Lord.” I can't say I am at that place yet, but I am on my way.
Prayer
Lord, please reveal to me how I can be an imitator of You, an example that others can follow.