Seek Perfection

   “You, therefore, must be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.”  (Matt 5: 48)

   Jesus told the crowd that they must be perfect as God is perfect.  Only God is perfect so how can we be perfect?  Many of Jesus’ teachings are not easily understood and this is one of them.  Yet, through prayer and contemplation we can perhaps gain greater insight.

   This teaching would seem an impossible task.  We are sinful and can never achieve perfection in this world so how can we become perfect as God is perfect?  The answer is that we can’t; not in the sense we usually think of perfection.  Our concept of perfection normally includes accomplishing a goal to perfection.  At its’ simplest, bowling a 300 game is a good analogy.  We’ve not reached perfection if we’ve left even one pin standing throughout the game.

   I believe there is another way of perfection; a perfection of desire.  Realizing that we are faced with an impossible goal we have two choices.  We can become discouraged and quit trying or we can recognize our limitations and continue to strive to achieve the goal.  If we truly desire to be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect and do everything humanly possible to do so we have perfect desire.

   In our struggle in this fallen world there are things that simply aren’t possible.  Our God is a loving and merciful God; I believe and have faith that our honest desire and effort to achieve perfection will be welcomed by Him.  We will never be able to reach the goal in this life, but through faith, prayer and desire we can do our best and perhaps succeed in the life to come.

Father, only You are perfect.

I cannot reach that goal in this world.

But I believe my sincere desire to do so pleases You.

Help me to continue to seek perfection in all things.

Amen