Family Look-alikes

Bible Reading: EPHESIANS 4:1-3

Great-aunt Louisa gave Lily a hug at the family reunion. “You’re the spittin’ image of your mother,” the elderly woman told her.

Lily tried to smile, but she was getting very tired of hearing remarks like that. All morning people had been saying them. This family reunion isn’t much fun, thought Lily. The only thing older people seem to talk about is how much I and all my cousins have grown and who we look like.

Things looked brighter when Uncle John organized a softball game for all the kids. Good! Maybe this reunion won’t be totally boring after all! thought Lily as she raced toward the ball field. She loved to play softball. “I’ll be the pitcher!” she shouted eagerly.

The game was really fun. Lily got three hits—one of them a home run. She was a good pitcher too, and her team won the game seven to five.

As everyone headed back to the picnic tables, Great-aunt Louisa cornered Lily again. She frowned at Lily’s sweaty, matted hair and the big spots of dirt on the knees of her jeans. “Well!” said Aunt Louisa. “You don’t look so much like your mother now.”

For a moment, Lily felt annoyed and wanted to say something rude in return, but she held her tongue. She was glad her mother came to her rescue. “Yes, Aunt Louisa, Lily may look like me,” said Mom, “but we’re thrilled she inherited her father’s athletic abilities.”

On the way home that evening, Mom turned to Lily. “Dad and I are very proud of the way you acted today,” she said. “I know you got tired of hearing over and over again how much you look like me, but you were very polite and friendly.”

Dad nodded. “You looked a lot like another one of your family members today.”

“I did?” Lily asked. “Who did I look like? Aunt Penelope?”

Dad laughed. “No—you looked like Jesus! You treated everyone with kindness and respect, even though people said the same things over and over—or even things they shouldn’t have said at all. That’s what Jesus would have done. Because you’re part of His family, you’re growing to look more and more like Him.”

RAELENE E. PHILLIPS

How About You?

Do people often say you remind them of someone in your family? Perhaps you look a lot like a parent or sibling or another family member. What about Jesus? Do people ever say you remind them of Him? We resemble Him when we show His love and kindness to others—even when they say or do things we don’t like. If you’re part of God’s family, He’s helping you grow to look more like Jesus.

Today’s Key Verse:
EPHESIANS 5:1 BE IMITATORS OF GOD AS DEAR CHILDREN. (NKJV)

Today’s Key Thought:

Act like God’s child