It’s only natural to admire the greatness we see in others. And, of course, part of us longs to have this excellence for ourselves. But we must learn to emulate the virtue we see without merely mimicking their actions or lifestyle.
To be sure, it’s inspiring to see feats of athletic prowess, the heroic actions of soldiers, or simply the settled confidence and charisma of other guys in our small group. In countless ways, we witness virtues in others that we desire for ourselves.
Much of this is just part of our human experience. God has made us each for doing certain things well, which means we will excel in some areas more than others. And others will do the same. The parts of the body are not all the same, but each has its own glory.
While it’s natural to admire the greatness we see in others, it’s a mistake to try to copy their story and particular gifts of expression. We don’t have to become a professional athlete, soldier, or Mr. Popular to emulate the good qualities we see in them.
For instance, our discipline might show up in our professional development rather than the ball field, our heroism seen through advancing the good in our homes and communities, while our confidence comes through owning the quirks of our own personality. Whatever it looks like, we’re emulating the spirit of greatness we admire in others without the pressure to mimic their exact expressions.
We each have our own story. And we cannot reflect the glory God has given us to reveal by trying to adopt someone else’s.
In the end, freely admire the greatness you see in others and emulate their virtues without merely mimicking their lifestyle. You each have your own story to live.
Photo by awar kurdish on Unsplash
