Who Imitates You? Who do You Imitate?

Philippians was written to the Christians in Phillippi. This city is located in Europe and until this time most of the places mentioned in the Bible like Jerusalem, Antioch, Damascus, Iconium etc, were in Asia. Philippi is in Europe. But how did this "Gospel" get way over to Asia? Acts chapter 16 tells us how Paul ended up in Europe.

When I look at the maps of missionary journeys I am awestruck by what was accomplished. My children sometimes do not want to walk next door to the neighbors to get something. How often do I drive around a parking lot looking for a spot a little closer to the door! How often do I complain about the little aches and pains that come across my path of life? Too often. Paul was indeed "devoted" to the One who had called him. Look at the distance Paul traveled. No airplane, no helicopter, no cruise ship, not even a car!! Yet we never hear Paul complain of .... sore blistered feet, lazy camels, long days of travel, no where to lodge. In defending his apostleship in 2 Corinthians 11 he tells of beatings, sleepless nights, thirst and hunger and dangers at sea plus other things. But never in a complaining way. What a man he was.

Paul can say in 1 Cor 4:16, " ...be imitators of me." and 1 Cor. 11:1 "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ." Here is a challenging article about "being imitators". Of course we should all daily imitate our LORD Jesus Christ and we know we can also imitate Paul because he imitated Christ.....but today....can I say "imitate me"? to my children, to my friends....to anyone???