Imitate Me

Our Daily Bread Podcast | Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread Ministries

Religion & Spirituality, Christianity

4.6 • 955 Ratings

🗓️ 28 April 2025

⏱️ 4 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

As his daddy cast his fishing line out into the lake, two-year-old Thomas mimicked his father’s actions with his own toy fishing pole. Later, as he stood on the shallow edge of the lake, Thomas also tried imitating his father’s example of throwing fish back into the water by dipping his pole in the water and “catching” weeds. After each “catch,” Thomas held the weeds up for his daddy to admire before releasing them back into the lake.

We tend to learn—both what’s good and wholesome and what’s definitely not—through observing and imitating others. Perhaps that’s why in the New Testament, followers of Jesus are often encouraged to look to faithful servants of the gospel as role models (see 2 Thessalonians 3:9; Hebrews 13:7; 3 John 1:11).

In 2 Thessalonians 3, Paul gave examples of behavior not to imitate (idle, disruptive, and meddling lifestyles; vv. 6, 11) and told his readers to imitate instead the examples of him and other leaders with integrity (vv. 6–9). And he encouraged them to “never tire of doing what is good” (v. 13).

But Paul knew that ultimately his example was only worth imitating insofar as it pointed to reliance on Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). Only by rooting our lives in Christ’s faith and power can we grow in grace and wisdom.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ.
0:04.9	1 Corinthians 11, verse 1.
0:09.5	Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.
0:13.2	Our reading titled,
0:14.5	Imitate Me, was written by Alison Kida,
0:17.6	and read by Rochelle Traub.
0:21.9	2 Thessalonians chapter 3, verses 6 through 13.
0:26.9	In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from
0:32.9	every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching you received from us.
0:39.3	For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you,
0:46.0	nor did we eat anyone's food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day,
0:53.2	laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you.
0:57.8	We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves
1:03.9	as a model for you to imitate. For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule.
1:14.2	The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.
1:18.3	We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive.
1:21.6	They are not busy. They are busy bodies.
1:29.2	Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the food they eat.
1:35.0	And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.
1:41.5	Imitate Me, written by Alison Keita.
1:46.1	As his daddy cast his fishing line out into the lake,
1:51.3	two-year-old Thomas mimicked his father's actions with his own toy fishing pole.
	...

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