5:29 – No Need For Perfect

#faithbites #faithjourney perfect

Intro

When I see a piece of art, I am awed by the skill that went into it. As I’ve been learning more and more about 3D printing, I see the designs and painting jobs that people do and think I can never be that good, that is perfect. Two things come up when you look really close. Even the experts aren’t perfect. You may see a stray line or wrong brushstroke, but it doesn’t take away from their beauty. Second, those crafters and creators weren’t born that good. They had failures, mistakes, and learning curves. We can’t expect to be an expert before we learn how to do it.

Jesus expects nothing less than that. Nowhere does God ask us to be perfect. Heck, even Jesus doesn’t think he’s Good when asked and he lived the most perfect life of a human possible. If he’s not good, then neither are we. The point is, God doesn’t expect that. He wants us to follow his word, try, ask for forgiveness and learn.

Questions

• As you set your goals, how do you aim to grow but not seek perfection?
• When you see others doing better than you at something, how do you feel?
• When you feel that way, do you realize the dedication and time they spent to get to that level?

Scripture

• Luke 18:18-29 –

¹⁸ A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”¹⁹ “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. ²⁰ You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’^[a]”²¹ “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said.²² When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”²³ When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. ²⁴ Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵ Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”²⁶ Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?”²⁷ Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”²⁸ Peter said to him, “We have left all we had to follow you!”²⁹ “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God ³⁰ will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.”

Reflection

Today, I share the Rich and the Kingdom of God story from Luke. You may be wondering what this has to do with being perfect. The answer is, we gauge perfection on many different levels: skill, ability, wealth, status, power, and fame. Jesus is saying none of those is the perfection that is God. He also tells us that we can’t get there without God.

What does this mean? It doesn’t mean that you won’t get better at your craft. In fact, through practice and determination, and the help of God, you will win the race. (1 Corinthians 9:24). As in any craft, our faith is the same way. We aren’t born a good human but we can work towards being a better human. It will take us trying, failing, asking forgiveness, and trying again.

As we close, don’t look at someone’s skill as perfection. Look at it as a lifetime of working to get better at something and still having room to grow. With that in mind, you can’t fail. You can get wherever you want, with God’s help.

Prayer

Father God, thank you for giving us different skills and abilities. Sometimes we look at the gifts of others and become jealous but we don’t realize the work they put in to get to that level. Please forgive us. Other times, Lord, we belittle ourselves because our work isn’t “good enough” and others are better. Help us to know that we are on a lifelong journey, with you, of self-discovery and growth. Help us to be kind to ourselves. In your name, Amen.