Imitators of Christ: Love That Costs Something
"Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." — Ephesians 5:1–2 (ESV)
Most of us have heard the phrase "Be an imitator of Christ" so often that it's lost its edge. It sounds like a bumper sticker — nice in theory, easy to nod along to, and hard to pin down in practice. But Paul doesn't leave it vague. In Ephesians 5:1–2, he tells us exactly what imitation looks like: walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us.
But people don't realize there's an equally powerful word in that verse — "gave." It's easy to skip past it, but don't! Take a moment to sit with it. Jesus gave himself — not His advice, not His opinion, not a portion of His time when it was convenient. He gave His life — willingly and completely, for people who hadn't earned it and never could. He endured the cross so that we could live. That's not a nice sentiment. That's the most costly act of love in the history of the world. And that is exactly what Paul is telling us to imitate.
So here's the honest question: how well are you doing that?
It's easy to love those who love us back. It's easy to be generous when it's convenient, kind when it costs nothing, and patient when we're well-rested. But sacrificial love — the kind Paul points to — shows up precisely when it's inconvenient. It's the conversation you didn't want to have. The forgiveness you didn't feel like offering. The time, money, or energy you gave, even though keeping it would have been easier.
The truth is, most of us have a blind spot here. We turn inward more than we realize. We protect our comfort, guard our schedules, and ration our generosity — and we do it so naturally that we don't even notice. Meanwhile, the people around us — our spouses, our kids, our coworkers, our neighbors — are watching to see if our faith produces anything that looks like Jesus.
Paul doesn't say, "Be imitators of God when it's easy." He says, "Be imitators of God as beloved children." That phrase matters. A child doesn't imitate a parent out of obligation — they do so because they've been loved first. The motivation for sacrificial love isn't guilt or duty. It's gratitude. We love sacrificially because we were loved sacrificially. We give because He gave.
Imitate Christ by reflecting His sacrificial love — not perfectly, but intentionally, in the daily moments where love either shows up or it doesn't.
Big Idea
To imitate Christ means reflecting His sacrificial love — not as a concept you admire, but as a way of life you practice.
Questions to Ponder
How well do you truly reflect Christ's sacrificial love in your daily life? Where are you turning inward to protect your comfort when the Lord is asking you to give? Are there relationships where you've been rationing your generosity, patience, or forgiveness?
Application
This week, focus your thoughts and energy on reflecting God's goodness wherever you go and whatever you do. Choose one relationship or situation where sacrificial love feels hard right now, and intentionally lean into it. Then go deeper: spend time in Ephesians 5:1–2. Study cross-references, read a commentary, and do a word study on "imitators" and "walk in love." Write in your journal what it means to imitate Christ — then distill your notes into specific action items and begin putting them into practice.
Before the Lord — a daily devotional by Blake S. Crawford. Read more and subscribe free at blakescrawford.com/before-the-lord.