When our son was 4, he loved nothing more than to follow my husband around, doing the same chores he saw his daddy doing. He had a child’s tool belt filled with plastic tools and would pretend to hammer a nail, tighten a screw, or check the car tires’ air pressure. Every time my husband would mow the lawn, Braden would be outside trailing him with his toy mower. Today, I am reminded of those times whenever I see our son—now a husband and father—mowing his own lawn or hammering a nail to hang a picture.
I was also reminded of my son imitating his father when I recently read a verse that the apostle Paul’s penned to the church at Ephesus where he instructs them—and us—to imitate God as beloved children.
“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.” Ephesians 5:1
In these verses, Paul refers specifically to being imitators of God’s love.
“And walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.” Ephesians 5:2
Here Paul admonishes us to love as Christ loved. He uses temple language—offering and sacrifice—to suggest that to walk in the love of Christ is to love sacrificially.
The Greek word for love that Paul chose here is “agape.” Agape refers to a love that is selfless, unconditional, and sacrificial. It is not driven by emotion or feelings. It reflects a choice and action. Agape love is powerful. It is the same word used in John 3:16 to describe the love God had for you and me. It is the love that moved Him to sacrifice His only Son for us.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”John 3:16
This is also the type of love that Jesus taught about in The Sermon on the Mount.
“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” Luke 6: 35-36
Here Jesus draws us a picture of what it means to live a life walking in agape love. Agape love flips the natural understanding of love upside down. It requires choices and actions that are not transactional but relational. They include acts of love done from a heart full of compassion, mercy, and God’s perspective.
How can you apply this lesson to your daily life?
-You show agape love when you forgive those who have hurt you.
Jesus gives us a great example of this when He says from the cross,
“Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”Luke 23:34
-You walk in agape love when you pray for those who rub you the wrong way.
Jesus describes this love:
“But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Matthew 5:44
-You show agape love when you give to others without expecting anything in return.
In fact, Jesus took this a step further when admonished His disciples to give secretly.
“But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,” Matthew 6:3.
Giving in secret assures you that you are not expecting anything in return, not even the gratitude or admiration of others.
-Finally, you walk in agape love when you show mercy to others.
Mercy doesn’t ask, “What’s in it for me?” Mercy doesn’t ask, “What do you deserve?” Mercy—God’s kind of mercy—shows love and compassion when someone doesn’t deserve it. It looks above and beyond the natural actions of people and treats others with the same compassion, love, and mercy that God has for us.
Acting with forgiveness, bringing intercession, showing generosity, and offering mercy all reflect a life that walks in God’s love. It’s not always easy to walk such a path.
The apostle Paul gives us a tall order in the first two verses of Ephesians 5. To be imitators of God and to walk in a manner of love like Christ is not easy. Imitating the sacrificial love of Christ requires us to admit that we can’t do it in our own strength.
It is only with and through God’s Spirit living in us that we are able to embrace and share the compassion, love, and mercy of God to others.
The good news is that God’s Spirit does abide in us and through Him we can live as beloved children imitating our Heavenly Father.
Hallelujah!