The Sincerest Form of Flattery

We were made to mimic Christ. So we better be careful what we imitate!

Dec 13, 2024

One of the Substacks I read regularly is Common Sense. Recently, they published an article by Luke Burgis entitled “Why Everyone Wants the Same Thing.” It was brilliant.

The gist of the article is “Human beings are expert imitators (mimetic comes from a Greek word meaning “to imitate”). Science has shown that we are the most imitative creatures on the planet, and we imitate in a far more complex, symbolic way than any known animal. While we are good at imitating the speech and fashions of others, Girard discovered that humans imitate the very desires of other people.”

Burgis goes on to say that this highly developed habit of ours is why we see whole sections of society imitate each other in their actions, behaviors, and even desires. The entire power behind different fads and crazes in society can be traced to this habit.

Where do you suppose this comes from?

Of course, it is from our Creator Who wants us to imitate Him!

But what happens when we don’t honestly know Him? We imitate that which destroys us! Lord, have mercy.

Look at our lesson today in 2 Thessalonians 3:6-18:

Brethren, we command you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is living in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with you, we did not eat any one’s bread without paying, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not burden any of you. It was not because we have not that right, but to give you in our conduct an example to imitate. For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: If any one will not work, let him not eat. For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work. Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work in quietness and to earn their own living. Brethren, do not be weary in well-doing.

No wonder St. Paul writes to the Thessalonians, saying things like, “We command you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is living in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with you, we did not eat anyone’s bread without paying, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not burden any of you. It was not because we have not that right, but to give you in our conduct an example to imitate.”

And then he writes, “Brethren, do not be weary in well-doing. If anyone refuses to obey what we say in this letter, note that man, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. Do not look on him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.”

Our Orthodox Christian faith isn’t a mere set of religious doctrines or philosophical insights about God. It is an actual way of life prescribed to us and for us based on an actual tradition lived out in a community of people. And, my friends, it is always hard work. Always.

I’ll go so far as to say that if your experience of genuine community isn’t hard work for you, you ain’t doing it right!

Learning to live together in a community means the hard work internally of staying awake to your behavior, words, attitudes, and actions because you set the example of how to live in front of others. You may respond, “O father, not me. I’m a nobody. No one watches me as an example.” And my response would be, well, actually, I think I’d stare at you in unbelief. You set an example for someone, and I bet you’d be surprised how many folks watch and learn from your life.

This work is also absolutely invaluable for your spiritual growth because it teaches you about yourself.

Do you see the genius of our Creator in making us for communion? So much important work is done through the hard work of learning to get along with so many different people!

AND we don’t have to start from scratch!

Foundationally, we have the example of the Holy Trinity to begin our learning. But if that seems too much of a reach, then look at the lives of the saints. And if that is still too much for you, look around you and notice the folks in your parish who seem to be an example of love and peace.

St. Herman, the Wonderworker of Alaska, is the first saint recognized in America. He was born in Moscow in 1756 and entered the monastery of St. Sergius Hermitage near Finland at an early age. It was there that the Theotokos prayed for him to be healed of a serious illness. He eventually moved to the great Valaam Monastery, and in 1794, he answered the call for missionaries in the Russian territory of Alaska. He settled on Spruce Island and named his hermitage “New Valaam.” His holiness and profound commitment to the local people were legendary, getting him in trouble with the trappers and businessmen of the area when he defended the native population from exploitation. He brought many to Christ through his example and was given the grace to work many miracles before and after his death in 1837.

Today, as we draw closer to Bethlehem and the celebration of the enfleshing of God in Christ, let’s really embrace the call to be like Christ in being connected to each other. Let’s work hard to make our parish icons of communion and family so that the rest of the world can find their way to a Normal Orthodox life!

The Sincerest Form of Flattery

We were made to mimic Christ. So we better be careful what we imitate!

Of course, it is from our Creator Who wants us to imitate Him!

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