There is an idiom that says, “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” That means when someone imitates the things you do it is a sign that they like and admire you.
Paul urged his Corinthian readers to imitate him. “Therefore I urge you to imitate me.” [1 Corinthians 4:16 HCSB]
Of course, right before Paul urged the Corinthians to imitate him, he described his ministry. “Up to the present hour we are both hungry and thirsty; we are poorly clothed, roughly treated, homeless; we labor, working with our own hands. When we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we respond graciously. Even now, we are like the world’s garbage, like the dirt everyone scrapes off their sandals.” [1 Corinthians 4: 11-13 HCSB]
Ah Paul. Surely you don’t mean we are to imitate you in those kinds of things. I am sure you must mean we should imitate you in preaching to nations and changing masses of people, not in how we respond to being roughly treated or laboring or blessing when reviled or enduring persecution or responding graciously to slander.
But no, Paul means we are to show the same humility in rough situations that he displayed as an apostle. His success in preaching to the known world and turning the hearts of people to the love of God did not come easily or without conflict. He was honest in what being true to the mission of Christ Jesus to go into all the world means for disciples.
2 Timothy 3:10-13: “But you have followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, and endurance along with the persecutions and sufferings that came to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. What persecutions I endured! Yet the Lord rescued me from them all. In fact, all those who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Evil people and impostors will become worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed.” [HCSB]
As for us, we must continue in what we have learned and firmly believe in the midst of persecution and trouble.
