Flattery Will Get You Peace?

Finally, beloved,*  whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about*   these things. 9Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.–Philippians 4:8-9

It has been said, and I believe it to be true, that “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.”  That being said, it seems that today’s text from Paul’s letter to the struggling church in Philippi is a clarion call to flatter Jesus by doing our best impression of him that we can muster.

I don’t suspect that it matters if our mimicry is excellent and indistinguishable from the original, I have a pretty strong hunch that it’s mainly the thought that counts here.

To imitate someone means that we’ve paid attention to them.  That we’ve found their demeanor, mannerisms and character, sufficiently interesting to give them our attention and to try and take some of them on as a part of our persona.

Thomas a Kempis talks about this in the classic ‘The Imitation of Christ’.  To imitate Jesus is at the heart of ‘being Christian’.  Which literally means to be like Christ.

Paul lays before us a comforting promise in this text that we need to keep practicing our imitation and if we stay faithful to that effort that we’ll find peace as a constant companion on the road of discipleship.

I don’t know about you, but peace sounds like a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow for me in the uncertainty of the world.  It’s a treasure I’m willing to chase, I hope you’ll chase it too.

Tags: Imitation of Christ, Jesus, Peace