Devotion - Tuesday, April 19

In I Thessalonians 1, Paul writes "And you became imitators of us and of the Lord."

The world often dismisses imitations.  Imitations lack originality; they are fake or of lesser value.  But Paul speaks of imitators as the greatest.  Once again, the words of scripture challenge what we may be taught in other places.

The cultural push to be our own, unique self is strong.  It may encourage us to think that only when we are different will we be noticed.  In God, our unique selves emerge when we lose ourselves in the community which bears the name of The Son.  God does not fail to see us or take notice of us as we become imitations.

My daughter hand wrote the lyrics to a song.  It is by The Fleet Foxes.  The opening verse shares this thought.

I was raised up believin' I was somehow unique

A snowflake, distinct among snowflakes, unique in each way you can see

Now, after some thinkin', I'd say I'd rather be

A functioning cog in some great machinery serving something beyond me.

"Imitators."  It isn't always a horrible label.  Nor is it such a bad status to seek.