An Echo?

A quote from a preacher of the past is staying with me hours after first reading it.

"If your ministry is to be good for anything, it must be YOUR ministry, and not a feeble echo of another man's."-Phillips Brooks, The Joy of Preaching

Imitation is suicide.

What God is calling us to do for Him is as unique as our DNA.

Have you been trying to be like someone else?

Even if you're pretty good at it you'll always be second rate.

Why not embrace God's plan for you?

Follow His leading.

Don't mimic your heroes.

Thank God for them.

Learn from them.

Get encouragement from them.

But don't imitate them.

Echoes aren't just weak versions of the original.

They're lifeless repetitions that fade away quickly.

Listen to the words of the resurrected Jesus:

John 21:20-22 (NKJV) 20 Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper....and said to Jesus, "But Lord, what about this man?" Jesus said to him, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me."