Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:1-2
When I was a teenager, I thought parents were pretty worthless. They didn't have a clue as to how to raise children. Even at a very young age, I was positive I could do a better job than they did. Indeed, I made a resolution in which I promised myself that I would never make the mistakes they did. Well, the other day, when I was carrying on a discussion with my youngest child, I heard myself say the SAME, EXACT WORDS that my dad had used with me years ago. I was saying the very words I had promised to avoid. In short, I'm like my dad. (Which, I confess, isn't so bad.)
Having said that, I hope that everybody out there realizes they need to be careful of how they act. We never know what words we say and what things we do will be copied by others. We need to do our utmost to strive and lead our lives as decent people, walking in the path that God has laid out before us. Living our lives that way won't make us perfect. On the other hand, it won't make those who imitate us bad, either.
From a devotion originally written for "By the Way"
THE PRAYER: Dear God, I want to be an imitator of You and You only. If I follow the will of the world instead of Your will, I'm not setting a good example for those around me. Please give me Your strength and wisdom so that my path and focus do not get swayed by the world. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
In Christ I remain His servant and yours,
Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker emeritus of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries
Today's Bible Readings: Isaiah 47-49 Romans 9:1-15
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