Imitators
(1 minute, 57 seconds)

A friend recently asked me if I knew who Sally Clarkson was because she thought I would really like her. She said I reminded her of this author/speaker because of Sally’s and my shared delight in candles in the winter, our heart for offering hospitality, our love of all things English, and our mutual joy in celebrations big and small. I told her it was funny she should mention all of that because, in fact, I had learned each of those things at the feet of Sally herself. For many years I attended her annual mom’s conferences, gobbled up books written by her, and listened to audio tapes recorded by her while I walked and ran on a treadmill. I listened over and over to these tapes until I could almost repeat what she said with her signature giggle and endearing voice-isms. I learned much about ministry and being a mom by imitating Sally Clarkson.

The apostle Paul said, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1) “Brothers, join in imitating me,” he said. “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things” (Philippians 3:17, 4:9).

Paul modeled for us a life consumed with Christ. So when he said imitate me, he was saying, in effect, imitate my Christ-centeredness. Imitate my treasuring of Jesus.

We can and should look to and seek to mimic Paul’s Christ-like behavior and love of God. We should do this so frequently, so faithfully, that we start to look like him; look like Jesus in him.
We can and should look to other brothers and sisters in Christ who follow hard after Jesus and seek to imitate what we see of Jesus in them.

Similarly to how I could copy the heart-warming voice of Sally Clarkson because of spending uncountable hours on the treadmill with her, we are urged to imitate Paul as he imitates Christ. In this, we are seeking to be like Jesus.

You may want to imitate Sally as I have. I am so grateful for what the Lord taught me through her! Join me in lighting vanilla-scented candles and baking scones for our families because we love them most. Set your table with lovely cloth napkins, put flowers in a vase, and brew a pot of tea —just for you, just because… and sit before the Lord in stillness with your journal and His Word open before you. I hope you desire to continue growing in Christ-likeness! This is my specific prayer for each of you this week.

Some of my favorite books by Sally Clarkson:
Seasons of a Mothers Heart
The Mission of Motherhood
The Ministry of Motherhood
The Life-Giving Home

(Photo credit: Unsplash, M. Cekaliknn)