Quirks & Mimicking Laughs

To my readers,

Here is a question for you: Have you ever sat in a place and watched the people around you? Where I come from we have a name for this; we call this being a creeper! I’m kidding, of course! However, I seem to do this whenever I am at an airport.  I find it funny how people act in an airport. I am sure you can relate with all the interesting people you have watched.  One thing I’ve found is that everyone has quirks. Some are really funny, while some are rather strange. Regardless, I think these quirks add to each of our uniqueness. 

The reason I bring this up is because I have this terrible quirk that I don’t share with many people.  If you promise not to tell anyone, I’ll tell you. Promise? When I start to hang out with people for a long time, I pick up their laughs.  It’s this incredibly strange thing that I do, but it is my quirk.  It may not appear as a bad thing, but to an extrovert, this is terrible! I have no idea what my laugh even sounds like anymore!

Joking aside, there is a letter in the New Testament where Paul is encouraging the church in Ephesus to imitate God.  He writes, 

“Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.  Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.” Ephesians 5:1-2, NLT.

Now how does this have anything to do with my awkward quirk? Paul is challenging the church in Ephesus to Imitate God like a child imitates their parent.  Children naturally pick up tendencies and characteristics from their parents.  However, children pick up these characteristics by spending time with their parents.  I am convinced of this- that more we spend time with someone; the more we will imitate them. 

The more we spend time with our Heavenly Father, the more we will imitate him.  The question becomes, how much time are we spending time with Jesus? Are we watching him like a child watches their parent? If we don’t spend time with him, we won’t find his influence invading our actions. Paul reminds us of the life that Jesus lived, one full of love. And as we spend more time in the Bible seeing how Jesus constantly poured himself out for those around him, eventually dying on a cross for the sins of the world; this same love starts to change us, from the inside out. The challenge is that it comes down to us choosing to spend time with Jesus. What is hindering you from deepening this relationship with Him?

Simply, 

Tex G.M. Rule

“Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.  Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.” Ephesians 5:1-2, NLT.