By Pastor Bob DeKlavon
Years ago, my wife and I went to a theme park where a mime performed.
The mime’s job was to provide entertainment before the ‘main act’ was to occur.
However, my wife and I found that the mime himself could have charged admission.
We laughed out loud as he followed people and then imitated them without knowing.
Finally, sensing that people were laughing—the person would turn around—
whereby the mime would look quite innocent as though there was nothing to see.
I think about that incident every time I read about the church of the Thessalonians.
In chapter 1 of his letter to this group of believers, Paul writes the following about them:
6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.
Note from the bold print that they imitated Paul and Silas and Timothy as well as the Lord.
In other words, those men were worth imitating.
In another place, Paul writes the following about imitating him as he tells the Philippians:
“The things you have learned and received, and heard and seen in me, practice these things.”
In other words, Paul is saying to look at every area of his life and practice what he has done.
When you look back at the verses to the Thessalonians—here is a pattern to follow:
The Thessalonians imitated the spiritual leaders “SO THAT THEY BECAME AN EXAMPLE.”
The word ‘example’ is the word used for a pattern.
In ancient days, teachers would write the letters of the alphabet on a clay tablet.
Students, then, would trace over or follow the pattern that was made by the teacher.
Paul commends these believers for looking at what is worthy to be imitated.
Then, he commends them again for providing a pattern for others to follow.
This is what strikes me in a very significant way.
Whether we know it or not—people are watching us.
Whether we are consciously or unconsciously doing or saying things—people are watching.
Our lives are setting a pattern which others may ask: is how they are living worth imitating?
We are living at a time when many can be acerbic in their opinions.
We are living in a day when many can grumble and complain and worry.
As Christians—our lives set an example which others are watching.
My prayer is that we say and live as those who have a pattern worth others following.