It had been several years since we had visited the local zoo, so I decided to take the family for an outing to see the animals. The variety of animals in God's creation is utterly amazing.

Our family seems to enjoy the primate exhibit more than any other in the zoo. Being the highest order of the animal kingdom, the monkeys, lemurs, chimpanzees, apes, baboons and gorillas are often extremely entertaining.

The visitors to the primate exhibit make it doubly entertaining. They can be observed imitating and mimicking the actions and gestures of the primates. Some were making funny faces and sticking out their tongues. Others were scratching their sides, jumping up and down, and screeching. It was a case of "monkey see, monkey do," as they "aped" the behavior of the animals.

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   I could not help but consider the fact that many Christians conceive of Christian living as just an imitation of behavior. Granted, the object of their observation is of a higher order, but the principle is the same.

   Jesus Christ is regarded by many Christians to be the behavioral example for Christian living. Christians are encouraged to be responsible for "the imitation of Christ" (a la Thomas a Kempis), in order to walk "in His steps" (a la Charles Sheldon), in order to be "like Christ" (a la Andrew Murray). If this be the case, then the Christian life is but a higher form of "monkey see, monkey do," as Christians attempt to "ape" the behavior of Jesus Christ.

   The Christian life was never intended to be an attempted "imitation" of the life of Jesus Christ, but is clearly explained by the apostle Paul as the "manifestation of the life of Jesus in our mortal bodies" (II Cor. 4:10,11).