Imitate You?!

Is it ever right to tell a brother that he should act like you? Is it possible to be humble and say such a thing? It seems to me that we do it all the time but without saying those words exactly. Think back to when a friend came and ask you advice on ho to make a difficult decision or how to get out of some trouble they were in. Many times your answer will be based on how you made a similar decision or how you got out of a similar jam. You probably don't conclude your advice with the explicit encouragement of "You should do what I did." Something about it just smacks of arrogance. I suppose we could be arrogant without saying it.

But Paul wasn't squeamish about coming right out and saying "Be like me." He didn't seem to have a problem with people thinking he was pompous. Consider his encouragement to the Corinthians:

"I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. I urge yo, the, be imitators of me. That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church." 1 Corinthians 4:14-17.

His words are almost shocking. He begins by saying "Forget all of the countless other people offering you advice. Just listen to me and be like me." Can you imagine telling someone who has asked 4 or 5 other people for advice and is now asking you...and you were to respond in a similar way? Paul even concludes with saying he's sending Timothy to tell them about how consistent and faithful he was as further proof that they should imitate Paul.

What do you think Paul was doing with this portion of his epistle?

Given the fact that our hearts are idol-factories, always concocting ways to make ourselves look great, could we say such things to a brother? Should we say such things?