Imitation is the Best Form of Flattery

 

    The saying goes that imitation is the best form of flattery.  You see it a lot with siblings.  The younger almost always wants to be just like the older.  I drove my sister insane always wanting to tag along and look like her.  We have very different body types though, so it was impossible.  I liked her friend.  I wanted to be as smart as her.  Eventually I had to step out  to find my own style and become my own person, but she has always been an influence.

    Solomon learned from his father how to be king.  He admired and loved his father, so in some ways he wanted to be just like him.  He was a young king, so he was figuring things out, but he was smart enough to see where his father had gone wrong and wanted to be different in those areas.

    Solomon imitated his father in the way he set up his administration.  He found men that had proven themselves trustworthy.  He had a personal priest and national priest, secretaries, court historian, and a commander in chief.  He also had district officers, a personal advisor, a person over the palace, and someone over the forced labor.  He chose twelve district governors for all the tribes.  

    He chose men that he could leave in charge and not need to micromanage.  He chose to honor those men by putting their names in the history, so they would never be forgotten.  He did all that like his father, but he made it his own by making it people that cared about him instead of just his father.

    Solomon made his own way by how he made sure everyone had food.  He portioned out food daily.  He more he worked the more the wisdom and insight was revealed.  That in itself made him famous.  Add on the looks and wealth, I am sure he was the man everyone wanted to know and be near.

    It is always nice to be the person that people want to imitate, but we need to be careful of the people we want to imitate.  This Christmas season, lets try to imitate Jesus.  We can remember the life he had and see where we can do better for next year.  

1 Kings 4