As a kid, my favorite athlete was a Major League Baseball player named Ken Griffey Jr. In the prime of his professional baseball career, Griffey was the ultimate player. During my days of youth baseball, I would do my best to replicate his style of play. I had the same model baseball glove that Griffey used. I also attempted to mimic his batting stance. Despite the type of glove or batting stance, I was never a Gold Glove-caliber player. Also, I did not swing the bat as well as Griffey did. Often people will attempt to model something in their lives after people they admire and respect. While this is an understandable practice to utilize, the reality is that we will never fully replicate those who we admire. That is okay. While we may not successfully imitate those we respect, what this offers is an opportunity to learn and develop ourselves into what we want to become or need to become.

As Christians, we need to do our best to be imitators of Christ. We need to carry ourselves in a way that is Christ-like. Ephesians 5:1-2 says, “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.” If we look back in the book of 1 Corinthians, we read what Paul the Apostle had to say about imitation. In 1 Corinthians 11:1-2, it says, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you.”

While it is admirable to imitate those we respect in certain areas of life, let us not forget the imitation we should pursue. That is to be imitators of Christ. That could have as big of an impact as anything we do.