Daily Devotion
Copycats
By Kathy Schultz
CBN
Staff Writer
My young granddaughter, Alexandra, was preparing to sing with the children's
choir. Her mom and I were thrilled, as we loved watching her. Our advice to her
was, "Just watch Mrs. Justice," the choir director.
Alexandra knew the song and had attended
all the practices. She was ready. There she stood with her peers, ready to sing,
and whom did she watch? It wasn't the choir director. It was the child standing
next to her. The little girl tossed her hair back and forth; she was nervous.
What did Alex do? She did the same thing, even down to the mannerisms. It was
comical, but sad. She was singing the words, but not the way she should have because
she was not looking at the director. "Copycat" is what we would have said when
I was in elementary school.
Styles and times change, but other things do
not. Adults as well as children are still copycats.
God spoke to me
and asked, "Who are you copying?" Was it He? I have to admit that often my eyes
look at the person beside me. That is not always wrong. Sometimes the person reflects
Christ; but often I am imitating things that are not godly. Be imitators of Christ
the Bible says:
"Don't copy the behavior and customs of
this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you
think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good
and pleasing and perfect his will really is." (Romans 12:2,
The Book)
The Lord let me see that the problem was not in
the copying, but in whom we are copying. He showed me my granddaughter would
be copying others her entire life. This was only the beginning. As she went to
school she would be copying many things, such as words and actions of her playmates,
teachers, coaches, and many others. In fact, this was one of the ways she would
learn. Some things she would copy would be beneficial and not others. Discernment
and wisdom is what she needs and so do we.
"Happy is the
man that findeth wisdom and the man that getteth understanding" (Proverbs 3:13, KJV).
The Lord also made me aware not only was I copying others,
but other people are copying me as well. Were my children and grandchildren seeing
Christ in me? Was I a good role model? Was Christ living in me? I had to admit
some of my behavior was not worth copying. This reminded me to keep my actions
in line with what God wanted. The only way I knew to do that was to keep praying
and reading His Word, being obedient to what God says. I will then stand in approval
from God, not others. I will become a copycat of God, not others!
"Do
your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need
to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15, NIV).
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