Follower of God
Proverbs 15:1 “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a hard word stirs up anger.”
If we could learn to always answer in gentleness, we would not become stirred up in anger that causes fighting and leads to problems. How do we begin doing that if our response is frequently a hard word? We act in love. We act like we’re not angry. We speak gently even though we don’t feel like it. It will eventually become a habit.
Ephesians 5:1 says, “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children.” KJV
The Greek word for followers in this verse is mimetes, which means - to imitate someone or to mimic what you see someone else doing. Mimetes was also used to describe actors on a stage and to represent the modeling of a parent, teacher, champion or hero. When someone is know for there outstanding moral character, others were encouraged to emulate or copy that person.
Paul is telling us in Ephesians to be followers of God, to act like him, to imitate him. Like an actor, this is something you don’t learn over night. You need to study Him and practice, practice, practice, even when you don’t feel like it.
Rick Renner, in “Sparkling Gems,” interprets this verse to say, “Be constantly in the process of becoming more like God - making it your aim to act like Him, to duplicate Him, and to exactly copy Him in every area of your life.” Especially in your marriage (added by me!).
We learn very young to act in a certain way to get what we want. You can have what you want (a healthy, happy marriage) if you make some changes. That all starts with a decision. A decision to change your behavior by doing things differently - speak differently, think differently, and act differently.
If you put your thoughts, feelings and behavior aside and start acting like God, how different would your life be? How better would your marriage be?
I know, through personal experience, this is a difficult task. I’ve worked hard at changing my communication methods for the past 20 years of my marriage. I’ve come a long way. I still have a long way to go. Unfortunately, I’m a great actor around everyone else but my husband. Thanks to God, though, Rick is patient and loves me unconditionally, and he easily overlooks those moments that I slip. We are learning together.
Begin to act like God would act. Follow the examples in the Bible of the behavior of Jesus. You will notice amazing changes in your life and marriage.
If we could learn to always answer in gentleness, we would not become stirred up in anger that causes fighting and leads to problems. How do we begin doing that if our response is frequently a hard word? We act in love. We act like we’re not angry. We speak gently even though we don’t feel like it. It will eventually become a habit.
Ephesians 5:1 says, “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children.” KJV
The Greek word for followers in this verse is mimetes, which means - to imitate someone or to mimic what you see someone else doing. Mimetes was also used to describe actors on a stage and to represent the modeling of a parent, teacher, champion or hero. When someone is know for there outstanding moral character, others were encouraged to emulate or copy that person.
Paul is telling us in Ephesians to be followers of God, to act like him, to imitate him. Like an actor, this is something you don’t learn over night. You need to study Him and practice, practice, practice, even when you don’t feel like it.
Rick Renner, in “Sparkling Gems,” interprets this verse to say, “Be constantly in the process of becoming more like God - making it your aim to act like Him, to duplicate Him, and to exactly copy Him in every area of your life.” Especially in your marriage (added by me!).
We learn very young to act in a certain way to get what we want. You can have what you want (a healthy, happy marriage) if you make some changes. That all starts with a decision. A decision to change your behavior by doing things differently - speak differently, think differently, and act differently.
If you put your thoughts, feelings and behavior aside and start acting like God, how different would your life be? How better would your marriage be?
I know, through personal experience, this is a difficult task. I’ve worked hard at changing my communication methods for the past 20 years of my marriage. I’ve come a long way. I still have a long way to go. Unfortunately, I’m a great actor around everyone else but my husband. Thanks to God, though, Rick is patient and loves me unconditionally, and he easily overlooks those moments that I slip. We are learning together.
Begin to act like God would act. Follow the examples in the Bible of the behavior of Jesus. You will notice amazing changes in your life and marriage.
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