True Godly imitation is about what Jesus told His disciples when He first recruited them. He told them to follow Him and learn from Him!
When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. Mark 8:34
Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11;29
Jesus told His disciples to follow Him and learn from Him. We are called to be yoked with Jesus, so we can walk closely with Him and learn from His character, attitude, and His posture before the Lord!
He also told His disciples that following Him will require self-denial because the kind of life Jesus lives has much sacrifice associated with it. The cross is supposed to cut through our carnality in order for the nature of God to come forth.
Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” Mark 1:17
Ultimately, following Jesus means that we are embracing His commission, which is to reach the lost sheep and become fishermen of men.
When you compare the above passages to what some think of imitation, you find that they are diametrically opposed to carnal imitation of someone’s lifestyle and external characteristics.
Have you been imitating someone? If you were to evaluate the imitation based on the scriptures shared in the last three devotionals, do you find it to be a carnal imitation or Godly imitation? If it is carnal imitation, what do you need to change in your life to refrain from moving into carnality? What tempts you to imitate someone carnally?