This is Faith in Play #108: Mentoring, for November 2026.
This article was inspired by comments in Hector Miraz’ Faith and Fandom Episode Four: A New Book about imitation.
As I write this (on May Day, actually) I just read a piece by Hector Miraz about imitation, looking at Supergirl copying Superman and Batgirl copying Batman, and Mystique copying everyone. The notion of whom we imitate was significant, but I was more moved by the idea of who imitates us.
St. Francis of Assisi, as imagined by Philip Fruytiers
To be candid (not honest–I try to be always honest), I’m not entirely comfortable with the notion of others imitating me. I am all too acutely aware of my own flaws when I consider the notion. It’s not so bad as Do as I say, not as I do,, but my imperfections are blatantly apparent to me. No, I’m not going to start talking about them. Suffice it that I know they exist–and I suspect others close to me are aware of faults beyond those known to me.
But then, I’m confident that this is true of everyone. The Irish evangelist Doctor J. Edwin Orr commented that he knew of himself that he fell short of sinless perfection, and that his perhaps more famous friend Corrie Ten Boom would be the first to say that she, too, was less than perfect. It does not appear that any of those regarded or labeled “Saints” believed it of themselves, whatever illusions we may have of them posthumously.
Somewhere the Apostle Paul wrote, “Imitate me, as I imitate Christ”–but there are at least three ways to understand that statement. On its face, we might take it to mean “I am imitating Christ so well that you can just imitate me.” I suspect this is not what he meant; after all, he did say that Christ died to save sinners, among whom he himself was the chief. The second way to understand it is, “Imitate me to the degree that you perceive I am imitating Christ,” that is, use me as an example, and if what I do is Christ-like, copy that. The third way is, “Imitate the way I imitate Christ,” that is, perceive how I make every effort to be Christ-like, and copy that example of trying to be like Jesus.
One of those two latter understandings is probably correct–and taken thus, I am more comfortable saying the same thing: to the degree that you see Christ in me, to the degree that it appears I am trying to be like Jesus, copy that.
I’m still not completely comfortable with someone scrutinizing my life as an example of Christian living. I realized some years ago that a lot of my Christian charity, expressed in giving meals and shelter and support to homeless and hungry people God brought to us, was prompted and directed by my wife. I’m not sure how much credit I can get for such kindness–but then, nothing in the Christian life is about getting credit for anything we do; it’s all about God’s kindness toward us, and our imitation of that kindness in reaching out to others.
The mentors in my life have in the main been Christian college teachers, and it’s been many years. I may have had some impact on a few younger people beyond what I am aware, but never in any formal way. That’s not a necessary part of it–mentoring happens when we provide an example and others observe it. In a sense, you are always mentoring someone. The question then becomes, what are they learning from you?
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