Imitation

The Fruit of Influence

I was recently having a discussion with a colleague at work regarding a project that I am very passionate about. I found myself trying to make my point using my hands. After a few minutes, I noticed that I was positioning my hands in front of me with my fingers and thumbs coming together as if holding a small object in each hand (the classic Italian “mamma mia” pose). As I noticed this hand posture, I thought to myself, “Where did that come from?” I had never spoken using this gesture before. This puzzled me until the weekend when, during lunch with a friend, I noticed her using the same hand motions while attempting to illustrate a point. “Aha!” I thought, upon realizing that I must have absorbed this practice from her. But why did I do that? I suspected that the answer lay in the closeness of our relationship and my respect for her.

You’ve probably heard the phrase, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” To imitate someone is to pay the person a genuine compliment—sometimes an unintended compliment. Imitation can be deliberate, as in the case of a daughter applying makeup the same way her mother does. Or imitation can be subconscious. We are born with a subconscious drive to want to be like the people whom we value and hold dear. Whether deliberate or not, the root of all imitation is the same: influence.

Influence is the tree that bears the fruit of imitation. Our entire lives—how we speak, how we write, what we eat, what we wear, what we believe, who we are—are constructed from the bricks and mortar of influence and imitation. The root word for influence means “flowing in, into, or on.” Doesn’t that remind you of the Holy Spirit? He flows in us and upon us. As we absorb Him, He comforts, teaches and guides us. The Word tells us to be not drunk with wine but to be filled with the Spirit. Why? Because we are to live under the influence of the Holy Spirit and not be consumed with anything else that impedes His influence.

Imitate means “to follow in manner and copy in form.” God created us in His image and likeness and breathed His life into us. Christ’s call to us is, “Follow Me.” The influence of Christ shows us whom to follow, what to follow, and how to follow. Even Paul instructed the Believers during his day to imitate him as he imitated Christ and to imitate the faithful.

What I suspected about the relationship with my friend was right on. Because of our closeness and my respect for her, she influences me. Thus even in the little things, I find myself imitating her. Have you ever noticed yourself doing or saying something that you recognize as characteristic of a friend or acquaintance? It is possible that you were subconsciously paying that person a compliment. It is also possible that you were simply acting under the influence of that person.

We are born to imitate; and we will imitate whatever influences us. The flip slide of this reality is that we are born to influence. Whether we intend it or not, people are absorbing our practices, and they will follow our manner and copy our form. So I ask myself these questions, “What of me is flowing into and upon the people in my path? Do I want them being who I am, doing what I do, and saying what I say?” Though I do not always answer these questions with a resounding “Yes!”, I know the hope within me, and I endeavor to be both the imitator and influencer that God created me to be.

I Corinthians 11:1 (NKJV) Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.

Hebrews 6:12 (NKJV) …but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Daddy God, we pray that You will always be our ultimate Influencer. May our lives bring You glory as we imitate Christ and the faith of those who inherit Your promises. May You help us be the influencers that You created us to be. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

Barb

Will you hold me?

Casey – Part 2

During the times when my son, Casey, has suffered seizure episodes or experienced the aura of an episode, he will ask: “Can you hold me?” He will ask this incessantly, even if you are already holding him at the time. Perhaps the hovering aura that something not so good is going to happen prevents him from registering the security of your embrace. Or maybe he keeps asking to ensure that you won’t let go before he’s ready for you to let go. What’s certain is that during this uncertain time (will he have a seizure or not?), he just wants to be held. How could anyone blame him? My heart just breaks as I hold him.

In contrast, I noticed that when he is not affected by seizures, he doesn’t long to be held. He doesn’t ask, “Can you hold me?” In fact, there are times when he doesn’t even want me to touch him. I often try to pray for him while touching his head, and unless I announce and assure him of my intent to touch him, he almost always pushes my hand off of him and backs away. I struggle with his disinterest and lack of desire to be held when I want to hold him. Sometimes it hurts. Hmm…

“Can you hold me?” How many times have I asked the Lord to hold me? When I sense that something not so good is about to happen (or is happening), I always want Him to hold me. And I’d say that I probably even incessantly ask Him to hold me, even if He already is. But are those the only times that I want to be held? Do I push His hand off me and back away when He wants to have an effect in my life but my interests are elsewhere? Does my desire for Him revolve around me or around Him? I believe God regularly asks each of us, “Can I hold you?” I pray we respond “Yes!” every time.

Psalm 27:10 (NLT) Even if my father and mother abandon me, the LORD will hold me close.

Psalm 63:8 (Message) I hold on to you for dear life, and you hold me steady as a post.

Psalm 119:76 (The Message) Oh, love me—and right now!—hold me tight! just the way you promised.

Psalm 139:10 (NKJV) Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.

Jeremiah 31:22 (NLT) How long will you wander, my wayward daughter? For the LORD will cause something new and different to happen--Israel will embrace her God."

Holy Father, Thank You for holding us in all our times of need. We offer our “YES” to You right now and humbly and graciously receive Your embrace when You know we need You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Barb

Will you let Him come?

Casey - Part 1

When my son, Casey, has been challenged with seizures, they’ve often occurred at night and have generally come in clusters (weeks at a time). During these especially trying times, Casey really wants to be held or be close to someone. My husband and I often, therefore, allow him to stay in bed with us for part of the evening. (It’s a bit easier for the weary parents too.) The challenge is that once these clusters subside, Casey continues to come to our bed in the middle of the night. I usually wake up when he arrives and attempt to send or take him back to his own bed, which sometimes results in a struggle of wills. When it does, Casey WILL NOT give in. His obstinacy usually wakes up my husband who breaks up the matter by allowing Casey in the bed. Frustrated by this result, I said to my husband the other day; “If you keep allowing him to come, he will continue to come.” I was immediately struck by the power of those words.

Casey has created a “habit” which has evolved into something that he obviously enjoys. He finds comfort in being in bed with us, so he wants to continue in that habit. And we have partially (at the very least) endorsed the habit by inviting him to our bed during tough times. So what do we do? As I think about breaking his current habit and creating a new habit (staying in bed), I recognize that it will take discipline. It will take a concerted, unified effort for my husband and me to change this habit. It may be painful and even result in sleep deprivation. Would it be worth it? ABSOLUTELY!

I pondered my comment to my husband in the context of Jesus. “If I keep allowing Him to come, He will continue to come.” Am I allowing Him to come? Am I spending enough time with Him – in His Word, in His Presence, in prayer and worship to Him? What has to change for me to make inviting Him and receiving Him a habit that evolves into a lifestyle? My guess is that it may be painful at times and even result in sleep deprivation. Would it be worth it? ABSOLUTELY!

How about you? Have you developed the habit of allowing Jesus to come? I assure you, it will absolutely be worth a little pain and sacrifice of sleep. Join me, won’t you?

Psalms 64:10 (The Message) Be glad, good people! Fly to God! Good-hearted people, make praise your habit.

Acts 10:3 (The Message) He was a thoroughly good man. He had led everyone in his house to live worshipfully before God, was always helping people in need, and had the habit of prayer.

1 Peter 4:1-2 (The Message) Since Jesus went through everything you’re going through and more, learn to think like him. Think of your sufferings as a weaning from that old sinful habit of always expecting to get your own way. Then you’ll be able to live out your days free to pursue what God wants instead of being tyrannized by what you want.

Blessed Father, thank You for Your patience with us. I pray that You will come into our lives and flourish from a habit into a glorious lifestyle. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Barb

Encouragement

One evening following dinner, my 5-year-old, Ryan, decided that he and his daddy needed to have a race. “This race was going to be special,” Ryan announced, as he trotted back with two handled shopping bags. He quickly demonstrated to Daddy precisely how they were to put both feet in the bag, hold the shopping bag handles, and hop. For a full visual of this proposed race, you need to know that my husband is 6’4” tall with size 14 feet. While Ryan was quite confident of this racing methodology, his daddy looked on with significant skepticism. It was clear that, although Ryan had no doubt in his daddy’s ability to compete, his daddy wasn’t so sure and was seemingly contemplating what he could say to extract himself from this event. The other three adults in attendance immediately started cheering him on! Following these cheers and encouragement, he gained confidence, removed his shoes, and assumed the bent-over-handle-holding position, ready to race. We witnessed three or more heats of this race, and as you can imagine, the room was FULL of joy and laughter.

After considering all these events, I sensed the value of our encouragement on the outcome. Without it, there may have never been a race. My husband may never have overcome his seeming self-consciousness to actually participate. And, without a doubt, the room would have been far less joyful. Ryan would have been (at a minimum) disappointed, and I believe the rest of us in the room would have felt about the same.

If you regularly listen for God, you may have noticed that there are times when He sets something before you that is not exactly what you would have chosen. You may even feel unqualified or incapable and actually seek a way out of the situation. For various reasons, we may not want to do whatever it is that He is asking of us. And left alone, many of us talk ourselves out of God’s will.

Is there something you’ve been facing with trepidation? Are you unsure of your ability to perform what God has placed before you? Seek the encouragement of others who will stand with you in faith. Likewise, we should seek situations wherein we may encourage others. The fruits of our efforts will undoubtedly be rooms FULL of Joy.

Ephesians 4:29 Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

1 Kings 22:13 Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “Now listen, the words of the prophets with one accord encourage the king. Please, let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak encouragement.”

Hebrews 3:13 (NASB) But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

Father God, May we receive Your encouragement through the words of Your children and look for opportunities to offer Your words of encouragement to others. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Barb

Pain and Suffering

Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator. 1 Peter 4:19

And let the LORD do that which is good in his sight. 1 Chronicles 19:13b

Not only so, but we[a] also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; Romans 5

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: Psalm 111:10

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thes. 5:18

See what Joseph had to say to his brother’s in Genesis 45:

4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come close to me." When they had done so, he said, "I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! 5 And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose Romans 8:28

If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:11

I could go into the suffering of Jesus Christ and how He suffered a brutal death on the cross for ours sins…how he prayed three times for God to allow this cup to pass but that God’s will be done. And God's will was done. Amen.

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. 6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

I can tell you this, I know if God didn’t want me to have cancer I wouldn’t have it. He has a purpose. I also know losing my baby was His purpose in my life as well. When I went to Him in prayer and asked what did I do and what can I do? He softly answered: Don’t make you more important than what I’ve already done. I didn’t fully understand what He meant until I started searching Scripture and a dear friend in Christ pointing me to Scripture and sending me the awesome book called “the hidden smile of God”. I can tell you this, once I realized this Truth, my life was forever changed. My love for God and others has deepened greatly. I know God has a purpose for my suffering and what a shame it would be if I didn’t realize just that. Genesis 50:20 but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

My prayer is that we will seek the Lord and His Wisdom concerning all things, situations, sufferings, trials, and illness and so on and that we be very careful in our dealings with such things of God. My prayer is that we realize God’s purpose for our lives and others, many times will surpass our understanding.

With much love,
Max and Tammy