Eph 5:1, 2
1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.
2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

To be a follower of God is described in two Greek in the Bible. They are only used in a positive way and not, for example, like a monkey would imitate or ape around. To be a follower of God is to imitate Him and reproduce Godly qualities in our lives.

The reading also speaks of dear children. The Greek word means a child in relation to its parent. This is important. We are a part of God's family and we are born of God. If we are His children, we need to do the works of God. The pharisees came to Jesus and said they were children of Abraham but they didn't do the works of Abraham.

If we call ourselves children of God, then we will do His works. We won't lie, kill and slander which are the works of the devil.

It took an important man three months to see President Kennedy, but his little boy just walked in when he liked because he was the president's son.

Samuel Morris, a black boy from Africa, was shown all the churches when he went to America but he said that he hadn't come to see churches but to seek the Holy Spirit. That is how our heart must be.

Jesus said that if we do as He says then we are His friends. We have to walk in love as Christ has loved us. In 1 Corinthians 13 it says that love is patient and kind. It covers a multitude of sins and always perseveres. The disciples forsook Christ but He loved them to the end.

May our lives be a sweet fragrance to Him