David Bahn – Reflections

Brothers, I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong. ¹³ You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first, ¹⁴ and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ What then has become of your blessedness? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me. ¹⁶ Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth? ¹⁷ They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them. ¹⁸ It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you, ¹⁹ my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you! ²⁰ I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.

There was no way it was real. But I didn’t care. I wanted a Rolex. And I gladly parted with $5.00 for it. Not $5,000. Not $500. Not even $50. $5. We were in Beijing China with our guide on a mission trip extension.

We had visited Hong Kong, Macau, Kunming, and Chuching learning about the work of foreign missionaries in that part of the world. They can’t use the “m” word there. But they were doing what they could to share the message of Jesus and strengthen believers there. This was years ago, before a severe crackdown on Christian churches and believers. It had been an enlightening trip, and we were quite inspired by it all.

After the mission trip we took a few days to visit Beijing, Xian, and Okinawa (where our son was stationed at that time). As we finished touring the Forbidden City we walked through Tiananmen Square and came upon a young man who was selling “Rolex” watches. As I was buying the watch, our guide spoke to Diane, “That’s a fake watch!” She assured him, “Yes, he knows that.”

When we think of imitation we often think of knockoff watches, Gucci handbags, and Chanel No. 5 perfume. But Paul is inviting a different kind of imitation. In another place, he says, straight out, “Be imitators of me as I am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). He is calling for the Corinthian Christians to imitate him in the same way that a young boy will imitate his dad shaving or working in the workshop. It has to do with inviting others to see how you live and follow Jesus so that they can learn what it looks like. It’s real-time learning – apprentice style.

The question is always whether your life is worth imitating. Do you want others to behave the way you do? Do you want to have people pointing to you and saying, there goes a true believer. It’s the opposite of having someone think of you as a hypocrite. It’s living a life of real faith. It’s about letting people see your struggles and your successes. It means recognizing we are not Lone Rangers. We are part of the Body of Christ. We need each other.

Tonight I sat with a group of men at Hope Lutheran Church where the new senior pastor is to be installed this coming Sunday. He talked about the importance of relationships, and said that discipleship happens in relationships. As we rub up against one another, we wear off the rough spots, and polish the smooth places in our lives. We become stronger. More refined. More like Christ. More worth imitating.