Copycat Christianity
DON’T COPY THE BEHAVIOR AND CUSTOMS OF THIS WORLD. INSTEAD, LET GOD TRANSFORM YOU INTO A NEW PERSON.
Bible Reading of the Day: Read Romans 12:1-2.
Verse of the Day: “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think” (Romans 12:2).
“Mommmmm!” Ellen whined as she stomped out of the house and into the garden, “make him stop!”
“Make who stop?” Mom asked without looking up, as she carefully spread a layer of mulch around the row of tiny bushes that lined the walk.
“Evan!” Ellen said. “He’s being a copycat.”
“I am not!” Evan yelled from somewhere inside the house.
Mom stifled a chuckle as she asked, “What’s he doing, dear?”
“He won’t leave me alone. If I start playing with my dolls, he wants to play with them. If I want to watch cartoons, he has to watch cartoons.”
“What’s wrong with that?” Mom asked. “Your little brother likes you!”
“Mommmmm,” Ellen said, still in a whining tone. “He’s driving me crazy.”
Mom wiped her face with the side of her gloved hand. A smudge appeared on the side of her nose. “All right,” she said. “Ask Evan to come see me.”
Ellen skipped toward the house to deliver the news to her brother. Mom shook her head slightly as she watched her go. Suddenly, a thought occurred to her.
Sometimes we play copycats as Christians, she thought, remembering the verse that says not to copy the behavior of the world. We see people speeding on the interstate and think we should go just as fast. We see manners disappearing and don’t want to feel weird, so we adjust as rude as other people. We see our neighbors chasing after money and material things, and we think we have to keep up with them.
She pressed her lips together in an expression of determination. “Lord,” she prayed, “help me not to be a copycat Christian. Help me to copy you instead of the world around me.”
Just then, little Evan appeared at her side.
“Mommy,” he said shyly. “Did you want me?”
“Yes,” Mom answered emphatically. “I wanted to ask you if you would play copycat with me.”
Evan’s eyes opened wide. “Really?” he said.
“Really,” she answered. She handed him a handful of mulch. “I want you to copy everything I do, OK?”
“OK!” Evan said, as he happily mimicked every movement his mother made.
TO DO: Play “shadow,” the child’s game in which you repeat everything another person at the table does or says. The winner is the person who can play the longest without smiling or laughing.
TO PRAY: “Lord, please help us to focus on you whenever we’re tempted to copy the behavior of the world.”