Imitate Only the Good

Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. - Philippians 4:9

Sometimes it can feel a bit like Paul is being arrogant here, doesn’t it? One way to think about this text a bit more creatively, and perhaps helpfully, is to think about what sorts of things Paul wanted to be imitated about himself. After all, he did call himself “the chief of sinners,” and he clearly struggled with pride and anger - and sure he didn’t want others to imitate those aspects of himself.

So if we look at the verse just before this, we get some helpful guidance:

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. - Philippians 4:8

What if we thought about verse 9 as fitting into this setting: Paul, aware of his weaknesses, is making this big list of some great stuff and then he invites his friend in Philippi to imitate the good stuff. That makes a bit more sense, doesn’t it?

So who imitates you? Have you helped them identify the good stuff in you worth imitating? Have you let them know what’s not worth imitating?