We are all imitators

Something that should humble us is that in some of the most important things in life, we are mere imitators. We learn from those we see, or who've gone before, etc., doing as they do.

We might seem to be original as we abstract atop our observations, combine and compare them, infer from them, reapply them, or (more usually) mix and mis/match them, but in the end: still imitators.

"But we ought be original", so you might say...but I want very much to learn from masters, to imitate the kind and benevolent, the faithful and salty, those who walk in light. There are many men to imitate, but the rule and measure, and the one to follow most of all, is Christ Himself, and foremost Him.

A Christian is not so much interested in all originality. There is little likelihood of success, in Biblical terms, if one decides to "be original" in one's approach in marriage, doctrines, holiness, etc.. In none of these does a man want to be novel. Of course presentation of things may vary--as original as thoughts may become in a society, or as the teachings of wolves become, do we have to be in spying the duplicity, and connecting the taken (read, captives/captivated) again to the old truth by shining it as light on the darkness they've received; therefrom we do something very unoriginal, just as our predecessors did repeatedly, we shepherd (whether by authority in the word and in preaching, or in lowly example of our own walks), them back to the old truth, the ancient paths, and warn our brothers, "abide therein".