Do you copy?

February 23, 2007

By William E. Richardson

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10, NKJV).

The sheep named Dolly didn’t do tricks. She didn’t win any medals at a state fair. But she was world famous. Just for being.

Dolly was the first cloned mammal. She came to public attention 10 years ago, on February 23, 1997. She was cloned, not born. Created from a frozen cell taken from an adult sheep.

In the years since Dolly’s debut, dozens of animals have been reported as cloned. Among the menagerie are 50 identical mice, a pair of cows named Alpha and Beta, and the first cloned feline, called CopyCat.

Some hail cloning as a great scientific breakthrough. Others question its ethical future.

In 1997 the cover of one newsmagazine accompanied Dolly’s picture with the caption, “Ewe today. You tomorrow?”

Clone people? Could it be done? Would we want it done?

What if you were cloned, like you are right now? What if numerous replicas of you were suddenly walking around? While cloning copies only physical appearance, what about copying your personality with all of its best and worst aspects?

If only you could duplicate your dedication as a hard worker without your sometimes-untactful impatience with co-workers. If only a double of the Christian you would unselfishly help others, but not be hesitant to share your faith.

God’s idea is best. His plan is not to duplicate who we are on any calendar date. He prefers to make each of us better every day. He wants today’s you to pale in comparison to next year’s you. You can’t clone that.

God’s goal is to improve all of His followers “to be conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29). Not in physical appearance, but in Jesus’ representation of the Father to the world.

How do we come to look like Jesus? By reading and obeying the Bible. It transforms us by renewing our minds (Romans 12:2). We also come to look like Jesus by spending time in His presence praying, listening and surrendering to His will.

How well do you copy? Not as a clone, but as a follower of Jesus? How is God’s workmanship increasingly visible in your life? How is God trying to change you today?

With Jesus in mind, could someone say to you, “You remind me a lot of Someone else”?

William E. Richardson is senior pastor of Afton (Iowa) Assembly of God.