IT NEVER FAILS. One of my children say something or do something that is worthy of me knocking them into tomorrow, and when I ask them where they came up with that, the cock their heads, give me a funny twinkled-eyed look and say, “Why we learned it from you, Dad.” Yikes! I guess the old adage, “The nut doesn’t fall far from the tree,” still holds true.
Living in proximity has its pluses and minuses. There is that other old saying about things being learned come from being caught rather than taught. Hang around a person long enough and you’ll be talking and acting just like them. Scary thought when we consider the people who hang around us, especially our children!
Yet, there is a positive side to all of this proximity. If you want to be like someone the key is spending time with them. To learn a language quickly immerse yourself in the culture. To learn a new skill or trade, spend time with a master craftsman. Keep your ears and ears open and before you know it their language will become yours. Their skill, your skill.
The same is true in becoming conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. The Bible says we were made in God’s image, and now are called have that image re-formed in us. But how? Proximity. Get close to the Master. Keep your eyes and ears open. See what He does and do likewise.
What a great day it will be when our Heavenly Father says to us, “Hey, where did you learn to do that?” To which we will reply, “From You Father, from You!” It all comes from getting close.