Night#19:: Kobe<Jordan
Kobe <Jordan As a kid growing up I had the hoop dream. That quickly died when I realized I wasn't going to grow taller than 5’8. But that sure didn't stop me from watching the NBA. I loved catching a good game after school. By default I rooted for my hometown team; the Detroit Pistons. We had a good squad but never managed to go anywhere because of one man. Michael Jordan. Yes, Michael Jeffery Jordan. I hated Michael Jordan. He always won. He never gave anybody else a chance to win. Well, that’s at least what the 10 year old Isaiah thought. As I grew older, I appreciated Jordan more and more. There was nobody like him. He was the best player the game had ever seen. Until this guy named Kobe Bryant came around. I’d like to say Kobe Bryant is the greatest imitator of all time. Kobe totally jacked MJ’s swag. Not only did Kobe play like Jordan but he wore his shorts like Jordan. He even did his interviews like Jordan.
Ever think it's whack to imitate? But I think there is something very commendable about Kobe being an imitator. At the time MJ was playing, he became the standard. There was no one considered better than him. So, as we all do at times, Kobe saw the standard and he aimed to be like the best. We can debate whether he is better or not (he isn't). But he has come pretty close in certain aspects. Kobe has patterned and measured his game to one of the best.
In Ephesians 5:1 Paul writes, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.” As Christians, it is wise for us to realize who the standard is and copy that. Oftentimes, we don’t make Christ our standard. He most definitely should be but it gets lost the more we follow movements and start to be discipled by other Christians.
Sometimes they become our standard. So sometimes the words of a John piper or John Calvin become more important or more quoted than the very bible. Or even our friends. Sometimes are friends who seem super “Godly” become our standard. If they don’t do certain things, we don’t do them. Or if they do certain things that may be off biblically, we perceive it as being okay. Therefore we don't become imitators of Christ but imitators of other Christians. And that is aiming so low.
Let's take a photograph for example. You have an original picture, with great megapixels and clarity. But then you decide to make copies of that photograph. After every copy made the photograph gets harder and harder to distinguish what the original photograph is. So it is with Christ. The longer we reformat and copy the original image. It gets harder and harder to understand what Jesus really meant when He said be an imitator. Paul should not be our standard. He is just a man just like us. His words are very influential to whom we are as believers but Jesus is our ultimate standard for living.
So who are you imitating? Take a second to evaluate the examples you’ve been following. Are you imitating those people more than you imitate Christ? I pray you believe that Christ is the only man worthy of truly being imitated.
-Isaiah