Faithful to the Source
God seeks faithfulness, not box office results.
“Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.” Ephesians 5:1
“Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children,” says Ephesians 5:1.
Children learn by imitation. They step where their parents step. They follow the patterns set by their parents’ lessons, values, and character. In the same way, we are called to follow our Father’s pattern.
Thankfully, scripture reveals God’s character, and in Jesus Christ we see it embodied. That’s why Philippians 2:5 tells us, “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.”
But how faithfully do we follow?
When a popular novel is adapted for the screen, viewers who loved the book care about one thing above all: faithfulness. Is the movie faithful to the book? If a director changes key characters or rewrites the ending, fans throw a fit. Films like Eragon and The Dark Tower struggled in part because readers felt the heart of the story had been altered.
Those movies were unfaithful to their source material.
In a similar sense, Christians are meant to be faithful reflections of God’s character in the world. We don’t edit His values to suit cultural taste. We don’t keep the parts we prefer and discard the rest. When we do that, we’re no longer trusting God — we’re trusting ourselves.
It’s tempting to measure success by applause, by influence, and by how many people approve of our version of faith. But when it comes to imitation, people aren’t the audience.
God is.
And He has already told us that faithfulness will not always earn admiration. Jesus Himself was misunderstood and rejected. A life true to the Author’s values of love, joy, humility, peace, patience, goodness, and self-control will sometimes draw people in and sometimes drive them away.
But faithfulness to our source is never wasted. Every quiet act of obedience, every kind word, every enemy loved instead of mocked, and every truth spoken with grace make a difference in a weary world. These are not box office numbers. They are offerings.
Faithfulness may not always win the world’s applause, but it will win the Author’s approval. And one day, the only review that will matter is this: “Well done.”
Graceful Contemplation
“It is well known that Christ consistently used the expression ‘follower.’ He never asks for admirers, worshippers, or adherents. No, he calls disciples. It is not adherents of a teaching but followers of a life Christ is looking for.
Christ understood that being a ‘disciple’ was in innermost and deepest harmony with what he said about himself. Christ claimed to be the way and the truth and the life (Jn. 14:6). For this reason, he could never be satisfied with adherents who accepted his teaching — especially with those who in their lives ignored it or let things take their usual course. His whole life on earth, from beginning to end, was destined solely to have followers and to make admirers impossible.”
—Søren Kierkegaard
Thank you for reading!
I’m so grateful to see my family continuing to grow — in both health and number! We know there will always be trials, which makes it all the more important to give thanks for the triumphs. What are you especially grateful for this month? I’d love to hear; feel free to share in the comments.
