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Good morning. We recently went to see the new film adaptation of The Jungle Book. It’s much darker than the Disney version I grew up with, but maybe it's more in sympathy with the characters first penned by Rudyard Kipling. All the favourites are still there, Mowgli the man cub, with Baloo the bear, Bagheera and the evil tiger Shere Khan. And while the music is more sinister you still can't help smiling when the jazzy 'Bear Necessities' first strikes up or when King Louie the orangutan sings 'I Wanna Be Like You-oo-oo.'
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Watching my own young children I can see how they've learned to walk and talk like me. Occasionally it's flattering and endearing, but too often I see my less attractive characteristics re-appearing in miniature before me.

Of course all this is true of society as well. Advertisers love it. We mimic the desires of others around us, we learn to want what they want too and even how they get it. We learn by copying others.
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That's why when Jesus wanted to teach his followers humility, he washed their feet, the action of servant and then told them, 'I've set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.' It's what he'd been doing all his life. Every parable told was an example of how to inspire peoples’ imagination. Every encounter with a woman, child and Gentile was a pattern of inclusivity. Every confrontation with the Powers that Be, modeled a deep commitment to peace and justice. Ultimately his death was the example of how to give yourself for others and his resurrection set the new pattern for how absolutely anything could now be possible through God.
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Jesus,
The stories of the bible
show us your example
help us to be more like you this day
in all that we do and say
Amen.