31 Days :: Doctor's Orders - Be Imitators

A couple of weeks back, we visited our pediatrition for Luke's three-year-old well-check. After the initial weigh in and measurements, his nurse handed me a sheet informing me of age appropriate behaviors, learning patterns and growth expectancies.

This sheet said something about Luke's development that made me a bit nervous.

Mimicking: Learns by imitating speech sounds an behaviors of those around him.

I thought, "Oh no. This kid will never be right."

The biggest influences on his life are awesome : but they are eight and five-years-old. His brothers. Luke watches everything they do. He says everything that they say. They are rowdy, rough, tumble, energetic, loud and competitive little boys.

Does this mean that Luke will grow up tackling his friends in class and spouting out football jargon in Sunday school.

Chances are high, yes.

As soon as the boys hopped in the van after school, I showed them Luke's pediatritian sheet. "Boys, I want you to see how much influence you all have over your youngest brother. Today, the doctor confirmed how much Luke learns from you. He watches almost everything you do. Wow. What a honor God has given you all as older brothers!"

They leaned over my seat to see the handout.

"You know what else is neat? Luke learns so much from you, but we can learn a lot from him."

Grant piped in, "Like what?"

"The Bible says we are to be imitators, too. Just like little children. Like little Lukey. But we are to imitate God. The more we know God, the more we will look like him. The more time we spend with him, the easier it becomes to mimic Him. We tend to look and act like those we spend time with the most."

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:1,2

This made sense to them. They see first hand, every day, how much Luke wants to be like his brothers. Any given day you may see Luke stomping down stairs in a football helmet screaming Touchdown. He begs me to take him to "big school like Grant." He plays with their Lego's and knows more about Star Wars than any three-year-old should.

"And you know what else is neat?" I continued, "The more we imitate Jesus, the more we look like Him, the more Luke will want to look like Jesus, too. He can see Christ in you. Cool beans, eh?"

"Yea, cool."

So maybe we're not doomed. Yes, Luke may tackle his friends at church and know first downs and field goals a bit early, yet he also might pick up on the love of Christ. Not a bad combo. I'll take it.

If you have a wide range of ages around your house, this may help your kiddos understand what it means to be imitators of God as dearly loved children.

-part of our 31 Days in the Parenting Handbook

{Giveaway Results}

And a super big thanks to all of you who entered to win this SEEDS Family Worship CD! Thank you for taking the time to comment and share with your friends. The winner?? Thanks to random.org for picking our winner....drumroll.....GINA HODGES! Whoo hoo!

Thank you Gina for entering! You will love this. L O V E I T.

And the month of November we will have two giveaways for newly released books. I heart giveaways.