“And He said to them, “Follow Me…” (Matthew 4:19 NASB)
After I dropped off some pants to be altered at a local alteration shop, I thought about the things that students were taught In Home Economics and Tailoring classes during school days. Then I thought about all the patterns my mother had when I was a child and even the patterns she made on her own. While she brought most of our clothes off the race, when we could afford it, she made her own. She was a seamstress blessed with talents extraordinaire. It’s the holiday season where more than usual, we reminisce, revisit, return to days in the past, allowing good memories to surface. Well on that day I was intrigued by the intricate use of patterns.
I asked a family member, “Did you ever use patterns?” I was expecting a yes or no answer and perhaps one example. I got more than expected. In chronological order, this person told me about their use of patterns. The response took the shape of a bell curve when it came to rating the complexity of each sewing project that required a pattern. There was the most simple pattern, the one that was for a pin cushion made in the seventh grade. Next, there was the pattern for an apron with a frilly band across the front that was part of the piece that you tied around your waist in the eighth grade. At the pinnacle of the bell curve was a pair of shorts made in college while pledging for a sorority. The design of the material and the multi-placement of the heavy cloth made the use of the shorts pattern more difficult. Two decades later, on the downward slope of the bell curve, was the making of a lion costume for a preschooler. You would think that this would have been at the pinnacle on the bell curve, since the final product was as good as the costume worn by the lion character in The Wizard of Oz, but it was not rated as high in terms of complexity. The justification or explanation was, “You get better with experience.” I though the “interview” was over, but the family member was just transitioning to one more example. In my mind, after listening, I had to replace the college sorority shorts project with what I was told. The family member told me, “The last pattern I will refer to is one that I am still working on.” In response, naturally, I asked two questions: “What are you working on?” and “When will you be finished?” Hint: If you are interviewing or just asking a question, be ready to hear an answer. Be patient and listen. You just might learn something or be reminded of something that you can apply in your life.
That was the case in my interview. I was informed that the most challenging pattern to follow was Jesus. Being a pastor, I was not surprised by that comment. No I was not surprised, but I was very pleased, and my God-consciousness was awakened. The switch had been flipped from a sewing topic to a spiritual topic. The most challenging pattern to follow is in regard to discipleship; living as one of Christ’s disciples, going beyond wearing the leather bracelets that say “WWJD (What would Jesus do?)” to where we try to follow the pattern set by Jesus; living and loving, and letting the Father’s will replace our own will. Let’s be honest about it. If we were to graph out the complexity of trying to follow Jesus and stood back to look at our individual patterns, each of us would see curves that were more complicated than the well-known bell curve. There is a positive! Our trying, our efforts will end up with a telling of how we learned in time to progressively be a better disciple of Christ. As with the family member’s use of patterns in sewing, “You get better with experience.” Go experience Jesus today!
Yes, our challenge today, both for you and for me, is to make another progressive step towards being more like our “Pattern,” Jesus the Christ! Referencing the teaching He left us, looking at the real examples He lived before the world, and relying on much prayer will be needed. The Holy Spirit will also help you! And then you will be challenged by other Christians, such as the Apostle Paul challenged believers in the closing verse, in so many words, to stay with “The Pattern.” Have a wonderful Friday. Work off your extra pounds, but also work on following “The Pattern.” Be blessed!
“Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.” (I Corinthians 11:4)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King