Mark 1:9-11 (ESV)
9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

There is a phenomenon in our world known as “empathetic mimicry”. It is based on the theory (or visual picture) of couples who remain together over the course of their lifetime will begin to look like one another. And the reason is that they share the same life experiences. The things that make them laugh are the same, the things that make them cry are the same. They take the same vacations. They copy each others facial expressions. They REFLECT each other each day…and the “theory” goes…that they develop the same wrinkle patterns in their faces. Their skin is subjected to the same “elements” of nature…and over an extended period of time…They begin to share similar physical features that make them look alike. 

Now, a study in “Scientific Reports” came out that largely debunked the idea of “Empathetic Mimicry” and that study basically said, it’s not true HOW couples look more alike the more they are around each other…But what IS true is that people are generally attracted to people who look similar to them…

To which I must say, that is not true…If Sarah looked like me when we met…That would have been a problem. 

But I wanted to share this theory of Empathetic Mimicry because in our reading today we our shown Jesus living by example and literally showing us what it means to “live out” the Christian life that follows after him.