What is perfection?
Over time, society has created standards that each one of us are exposed to and expected to meet. Every single one of us has experienced the pressure to be ‘perfect’. Although we all are aware that ‘perfection’ is not a realistic expectation, we still expect it from ourselves and experience disappointment and frustration when our ‘perfect life’ is compromised. But what is ‘perfection’? A general definition is “to have all the desired elements, qualities or characteristics; to be entirely without flaw”. But see, this definition is subjective; what are our ‘desired characteristics’ and what is a ‘flaw’? We know that what the world desires is not what God desires.
In Matthew 5 verse 48, Christ commands his disciples (us) to “be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect”. This calling seems challenging, to say the least. After all, since the world began only one man has been blameless and without fault; the son of God, Jesus Christ. Looking to Jesus, we can see that his life did not meet society’s definition of perfection. He was not the Saviour that Israel had been expecting; a good looking, educated military leader. Rather, he was born to an unmarried woman in a manger, worked as a carpenter and had a spirit of gentle humility. In Isaiah 55 verse 9 God says, “for as the heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways higher than your ways”. His way is perfect (Psalm 18 verse 30). Just like Jesus, we should “not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of [our] mind. Then [we] will be able to test and approve what God’s good, pleasing and perfect will is” (Romans 12 verse 12).
So, what does Christ mean when he commands us to “be perfect”? We are told that our heavenly Father is perfect, meaning we can look to His character to find guidance. Exodus 34 verses 6 and 7 describe our God as “compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin”. 1 John 4 verse 8 tells us that God is love; He is patient, kind, humble, selfless and His goodness never fails (1 Corinthians 13 verses 4 to 8).
If we are to be perfect as He is perfect, we need to actively try our best to be compassionate, gracious, abound in love to all and forgive as we are forgiven. Rather than just doing kind and loving things, we need to have the right attitude and motivation. Our actions should be an overflow of thankfulness to Christ, who lived a perfect life but still experienced death, for us. Through him, we have the hope of being elevated to perfection in the kingdom of God. So let us not worry about striving for perfection by the world’s standard. Rather, let us focus on being more like Christ, who perfectly manifested the character of our Father.