By Katy Mariotti

How We Learn

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.”
2 Thessalonians 2:14-15 English Standard Version

I’ve always loved to draw, and sometimes I feel halfway decent at it. But I realized long ago that I’m only “good” at drawing when I’m looking at something and drawing what I see. If I have to just come up with something out of my own brain, it looks far more childish than when I can look at something and copy it.

Recently my son and I were drawing with sidewalk chalk and he wanted to have a “challenge” where we each drew something the other suggested. I drew the Pikachu on his sweater at his recommendation, and then I asked him to draw one of the garden gnomes I have. This drawing is what he came up with. I was blown away. My son is only seven! But here in this drawing I see so much care and detail: the individual hair pieces, the two different colors in the flower, the tiny shovel. Here my son was doing the same thing that I do, looking at what he saw and copying it down. And what a result!

Creativity and imagination are great values, but I also think that imitation is not always a bad thing. Imitation is how we learn as children how to be: how to treat people, how to react to things, how to act in social situations, and so much more. It’s also how we learn faith. The verse from 2 Thessalonians mentions standing firm to the traditions being taught. What are we teaching those around us, and what do we want to imitate? Let us work to be imitators of Christ, and to show others by our example how to be.

Copyright Family of Christ Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado