To some degree, though, we all end up imitating those around us. That also means that there are folks following our examples. However, this is a responsibility that many of us take for granted. We say we don’t care what people think. Or, even worse, we try too hard to be something that we are not.
So what is the right way to approach this responsibility?
And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1 NLT)
I don’t know about you, but I get a little uneasy when I read this verse. Paul must have been pretty confident to say this to the church at Corinth. I, on the other hand, feel like it is more pressure than I can handle. But what is that pressure about?
I used to think that this verse overwhelmed me because I was worried about people following my lead. I don’t want to cause people to stumble by showing them the wrong way to do things. I don’t want to lead them away from Christ through my mistakes and limitations. I would rather they imitate someone else…somebody that is better at this whole Christian gig than I am.
But, you know what? That is a cop out. That is an excuse.
My real fear is that I am afraid of fully committing to imitating Christ. I know the type of sacrifice, pain, suffering, and selflessness it will take to imitate Him. And that scares me to death.
I am fine with people following my lead. But if I claim this verse to be a staple of discipleship, my lifestyle must undergo a complete renovation. If I am going to encourage people to follow me as I imitate Christ, I have to be more like Jesus. I have to be less like me. No excuses. I have to.