Mimic the Master

(This is Part 2 of a 4-Part Series)

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matthew 11:28-30 MSG

One of the best ways to learn a new skill is to mimic a master. In high school, I had posters plastered on my wall. Each image portrayed another pro getting the perfect shot of the tweaked mute grab, carving the perfect turn, or holding it together off the biggest cliff. I would stare at these images while my imagination took me into the air, upside down, and back to the soft landing … just as my head would hit my books and I’d realize I wasn’t getting my homework done. Then the weekend would arrive and I’d try to replicate the images in reality. Frustration seemed to be all I could find. The images that offered so much inspiration didn’t offer much for actually learning. When a friend was willing to let me follow him, it made all the difference. Watching him with his relaxed approach, smooth style, and confidence from experience allowed me to grow.

Jesus invites us to watch how he does it. Instead of getting frustrated when I feel like I’m no good at praying, I can read the Gospels to see how Jesus prayed and what he said about prayer. As I struggle to really rest, I can see that he wants me to simply be with him. Being a disciple of Jesus is to mimic the Master.