Before we start today’s Daily Bread, imagine putting a piece of ice in a glass of water. Remember that, and continue reading.

One of the most natural ways that we learn to do things is by watching others. When I was a kid, after watching a movie that had ninjas, I would go cartwheeling and kicking around the house. If it had cops and robbers, superheroes, cowboys, whatever…for at least the next hour, that’s what I was. Now that I’m a big kid, I’ll come across video about weight lifting, car repairs, and how to do things on the computer and I become motivated to exercise, fix my truck, and get busy working on my computer. I have seen someone else doing it, and that motivates me to do it. Kind of a ‘Monkey see, monkey do’ thing.

Who are we surrounding ourselves with on a regular basis? Are they people that spur us on toward love and good deeds? Will they help us get to heaven if we imitate them? Do you walk away from time spent with them motivated to be more loving, giving, and forgiving?

Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God. (3 John 11)

Whoever we hang out around (including who we hang out with on TV) is going to have a big influence on us whether we know it or not and whether we like it or not.

Remember that ice cube we put in the water at the start? If we go back and look at it after the past few minutes, what’s happening to it? It’s probably becoming just like the water around it.

Today, be an imitator of someone you know that is spiritually mature. Be an imitator of Christ.