Ephesians 5:1-2 "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."
When most children are little, they want to grow up to be just like their mommy or daddy. Why? It's who they adore! (What can I say, they don't know any better or anyone else at the time!) Of course, when they get a little older, they turn their focus far from the parental figure to the popular figure. You don't have to look farther than any storefront to see how the advertisers have clued in on this fact. It's not always the product that results in sales, it's the person representing the product. Get the right superstar to be an advocate for a product, and it's sure to be a hit. Why? Imitation is the best form of flattery. Kids want to be just like the one they idolize, and if that person uses Teen Spirit deodorant with the green cap, then they want to as well.
Thankfully, we eventually grow out of that impressionable age where we believe everything advertised, even if it's by our favorite star. But in contrast, as we mature in Christ, should we not continue to do exactly that, except putting our focus on Christ?
The Bible says in order to imitate Christ, I must live a life of love. How do I practically do that? This time the answer isn't rolling off my fingers as I type. I can't physically understand how much God loves us. Think about it. If you have children, would you let your child die so that everyone in the world could live? Could you watch as your child is beaten and tormented, bruised and whipped? I love my friends. There's no doubt about that. But I don't think I'd let my child die so that my friends could live. But that's what is so amazing about the love God has for us. He did just that. And although He doesn't command us to sacrifice our only child, He does command us to live a life of love.
How do you love the unlovable? How do you love the ones who hurt you? How do you love your enemies? How do you show love practically, day in and day out? The only answer I can think of lies in dying to self and seeking God. You see, in and of ourselves, we cannot truly love. It's only through Christ, the source of love, that we can. I John 4:7-8, 16 says "Dear friends, let us love one another, for loves comes from God, Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love...And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him."
I first must have a relationship with Christ to understand love. The Bible says that love comes from God and God alone. When I was a small child, I asked Him to come into my life, forgive me of my sins, and save me. I gave Him control, and that started a relationship with Him. But just because I have a relationship with Christ doesn't mean I'm living a life of love. Daily I must choose to imitate Christ and show love. Daily I must deny selfish ambitions and put others first. No one ever said it was easy, or even fun for that matter. Sometimes it feels so good to just hold a grudge or be angry with someone. But it's clear that's not living a life of love. No, holding on to negative emotions are not what it means to imitate Christ.
The verse closes with saying that Christ's death was a "fragrant offering." How could someone dying be a sweet smell? Only with God, that's for sure. Think about your favorite scent. If you're a girl, maybe it's a perfume or chocolate. If you're a guy, it's probably food. One of my favorite scents is from a perfume that Bath and Body Works used to make -- Rice Flower and Shea. It's a cheap perfume, actually, but I love it more than any of the most expensive smells in the department stores. I have a large stockpile of it, and each year, that grows smaller. It's "precious" to me, and one day it will not even be available. All it takes is a little whiff to make me feel good.
I wonder, can people get a little "whiff" of me and sense the love of God in me? What do I smell like, spiritually speaking? Is the love I'm showing giving a good scent for Christ? Christ's death on the cross was a precious fragrance. The love He expressed was such a sacrifice of love that although it was painful, it was sweet smelling to God. And when we live a life of love for God, we also are a sweet fragrance to God, and we should be a sweet fragrance to the world around us.
So what is it? Am I imitating Christ and His love, resulting in that "Rice Flower and Shea" kind of smell to others? Or am I wearing some Teen Spirit green cap, trying to cover up the smelly parts, hoping no one notices? Who am I imitating? My favorite star or God Almighty?
Lord, teach me how to live a life of love so that I am a fragrant offering to You.
---Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com