IMITATE THE GOOD

3 John 11
Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.

As much as I appreciated my college basketball coach, I know there is one thing we did not agree on. He did not like my imitation of Pete Maravich--the greatest showman and scorer in NCAA men's basketball history. My coach was old school, and he wanted things handled pretty much by the book. I, on the other hand, was a charter member of the "Let's make this game as much fun as we can by showing off" club. That's why I spent so much time practicing "Pistol" Pete's fancy moves.

I know my coach was not happy with me during one game when I put together a between-the-legs, behind-the-back pass while on a fast break. Flying full-speed down the court, I dribbled the ball between my legs from my right hand to my left, then cradled the ball in my left hand, and flipped it behind my back to the man coming down the court in the right lane on the break. It was a thing of absolute hoops beauty.

As I sat on the bench a moment later contemplating my love for fancy passes, I knew my coach was not a happy man. To him, my imitation of the Pistol was imitating evil. He thought all that fancy stuff was a waste of time and energy. He would have preferred that I imitated something good--like the two-handed chest pass.

In real life, imitation of evil is far more serious. When we choose to follow the lead of someone who is influencing us to do something wrong, we disobey God. The middle of 3 John 11 says, "Anyone who does what is good is from God." This is a goodness that flows from Jesus and His attributes.

Knowing who to follow these days isn't easy. But one set of questions can guide our choices about who to imitate: Do they do what is good? Do they make godly choices? Do they stand for what is right? Do they care what God thinks? If your answers to those questions are yes, yes, yes, and yes, then that person is someone you can follow.

Think of your influences: media, friends, music, even sports. Which are you imitating? The good or the evil? --Dave Branon

DESTINATION POINTS

* Who or what are the five most influential people or things in my life? Are they good or are they not good?
* How can I imitate good without offending others and being a goody-goody that nobody wants to be around?
* Why is being good important anyway? Can I really explain what value there is in being moral instead of doing whatever I feel is right?

LINKS:
Miss America's Unpopular Stand
http://www.christianitytoday.com/cl/2003/002/27.52.html

Power For Competing
http://www.christianitytoday.com/cl/7c3/7c3078.html

bottom line: Dedicate yourself to God, imitate what is good.

soul journey