Searching for perfection?

My sons are doing some remodeling work in our home this week. Watching them work makes me wish I was 28 again! Yesterday, I got home and when I saw a part of the unfinished project, I said, "Stop, that part needs to be re-done!" Jay then patiently showed me his plan and I realized that I was making a judgment too soon. But when I offered that criticism, I made him quite anxious because he wants to do a good job for his Dad. The fact is that the job is only half done. I was looking for 'perfection' before the process was complete. (It's going to look good, by the way!)

Thinking about that this morning, the Spirit whispered to me that we can easily become discouraged with ourselves and/or others if we search for perfection while the work is in progress! In my prayertime I sometimes ask the Lord, "How long will it take to overcome this habit?" Or I find myself criticizing another person saying, "Why are they still doing that? When will they change?" Jesus says, "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matthew 5:48, NIV) However, do not misunderstand the intent. In the context, that word 'perfect' does not speak to flawless performance, but rather to reaching full potential. The Lord is calling on us to become mature.

We know that maturity results from a process called growth! It would be foolish to demands a man's performance from a child. Imagine holding a 10 year old to the same standard as a 40 year old. Silly, right? We realize that maturity arrives slowly, over time, as we instruct and as the one maturing is able to experience both success and failure. Becoming 'perfect' - again, not flawless, but mature - in spiritual matters is a life-long process which only ends when we finally are 'perfected,' by our transition into eternal life. In 1 Corinthians 13 we read of the ongoing work which leads us to God's Presence - "Now we know only a little, and even the gift of prophecy reveals little! But when the end comes, these special gifts will all disappear. It’s like this: When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child does. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. Now we see things imperfectly as in a poor mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me now." (1 Corinthians 13:9-12, NLT)

What peace we can know if we patiently let the process be worked out. That's tough to do sometimes. We want what we want and we want it now. We tire of working out the implications of God's salvation in our life, don't we? Mastering the lessons of the Spirit-filled life can be a tedious process involving instruction, experience, and discipline Paul found himself frustrated and said, "Who will deliver me from this body of death?" expressing exasperation with the sins that marked his daily experience. If we look at the work in progress too critically, too soon, we will give up. James encourages us "let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." (James 1:4, NKJV) The meaning comes through more clearly in The Message where we read, "don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way."

Are you searching for perfection? Good! It is right that each of us should desire to honor God as mature Believers, who are developing the spiritual gifts He has placed in us, who are overcoming the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the Devil! It is good that we want to be productive and fully effective as mature followers of Christ. Remember, however - it is a process; in you and in others. While we are working it out, here's good advice, "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins (times when we miss the bull's eye on the target)." (1 Peter 4:8, NIV)

Here's a word from the Word for your meditation:
"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, (growing and maturing!) which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish." (Psalm 1, NIV)