Hebrews 6:12

Emily was helping me mulch around the yard. We would get a load of mulch, which we would distribute with a wagon I pulled behind the golf cart. I had gotten Emily her own set of tools—a plastic hoe, rake and shovel—which she very quickly labeled, "My tools!" She loved to help me and very quickly imitated every motion and movement I made. If I shoveled from the pile, she dug in the pile. If I sighed, she sighed. If I said, "All right," she echoed, "All right." If I said, "Let’s go," she responded with, "Let’s go." If I sang, she sang. I even said, "Hot dog," once just to hear her repeat, "Hot dog!" She was not ashamed to be my granddaughter; she wanted to act just like me!

The apostle Paul was not ashamed for people to imitate him. In fact, he encouraged and challenged them. Paul was very secure in who he was, an imitator of Jesus Christ, his Lord!

Paul made three profound statements about imitation:

Paul had a keen interest in his fellow believers. He nurtured them as a father instructs and guides his children. Paul was carefully walking in a way that he was willing for others to tread.

One time as a young teen, I was following my dad to the barn to do chores. I was walking along behind him, stepping exactly in his footsteps. He could sense what I was doing without even looking back, and it annoyed him. Strolling along, he suddenly stopped. I was so intent on stepping in his just-vacated spots I sailed over his back, landing on the ground in front of him. I am not sure which one of us was more surprised! Paul’s word of caution is to follow him as he follows Christ, footstep for footstep, but we have to have our eyes focused ahead. Watch where you are going! Don’t be ashamed to imitate and learn from those who have left a godly heritage.