There are lessons in my walk of faith which I seem to have to learn over and over again. These are fundamental lessons that I drift away from so easily then God has to usher me back to the center time and time again. I want to share with you one of these lessons that I was taught again by my Lord.
The Burden of Perfection
Lately I’ve taken the burden of perfection on myself. What do I mean by this phrase? Let me explain:
“Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Matthew 5:48
This command comes right out of the mouth of Jesus. The God of creation made man. The man who walked on earth teaching and preaching the “good news”. The context of this phrase takes place in the Sermon on the Mount. In which Jesus declares what the kingdom of heaven is like and how the inhabitants of the kingdom of heaven are to act. He sums it up in the word: “perfect.”
This is where I come to a dilemma. Jesus “came into the world to save sinners” (I Tim 1:15). He looks at humanity and admits that we are all “evil” (Matt 7:11). Then to those same people (who He knows are evil and corrupt and incapable of any good – Romans 3) He dares to say: “you are to be perfect”. And His standard of perfection? “As your heavenly Father is perfect”. Do you see my hiccup!? It’s a paradox, is it not?
My Mistake
I am a person who likes to take things into his own hands. If I can do it myself, I will. A challenge? Yes, please! Need me to open up a jar of pickles? I would love to show my feat of strength. Put together some furniture? I am up for it! “Be perfect”? I’ll try! Uh oh… Herein lies the greatest mistake of the Christian: to take the commands of Jesus and try to obey them without Him.
Please listen to me when I tell you this. I have been quite miserable the last month or two due to my failure to see this. I have been trying to live up to a standard of perfection. Trying to be a perfect husband, a perfect employee, a perfect friend, a perfect brother, you name it. And yet I find that the more “I try” to achieve this perfection the more I have fallen. (Romans 7) The more I strove to be like Christ the more sin took hold of my heart and I failed my wife, my boss, my friend, my brother, etc. It has caused such a rapid spiral of guilt and sorrow that I’ve been brought to my knees simply to look up in desperation at Jesus smiling down at me. And in His love, mercy, grace, and peace He quietly says:
“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”
John 15:5
The Solution
Alas! Why have I so quickly forgotten the essence of my walk with Jesus? Remember the “paradox” I presented above? It’s not! The simple truth follows: Jesus never gives a command for His disciples which He Himself won’t do for them. This is exactly what He is alluding to when He says: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matt 11:28. How weary I have been! How burdened with perfection I have been! Yet Jesus calls to me to come before Him and lay it all down.
If I could only give you a taste of the peace I have. The joy. The comfort. The more I give to Him the more I find myself becoming like Him. Naturally I am becoming a better husband, employee, friend, brother, etc. Not because I am focused and trying to become better but rather because I am focused on Jesus. Depending on the vine to produce in me that which I cannot do in myself. Thus why it is called the “fruit” of the Spirit.
Conclusion
What can I plead with you besides: Run to Him! Cast everything upon Him. Are you a brother? Are you a sister? A mom? A father? Jesus wants you to be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect but wants you to cast that burden on Him. Do it. Do it now. Stop striving, stop toiling, and rest in Him. He is everything you could possibly need for “life and godliness”. Quit the “trying”. Focus on Christ. Don’t measure yourself in levels of perfection and simply look to Him in broken humility and say: “Jesus, I cast these burdens upon you for they are too great for me”. He will take them. He will. For He promised He would do so.
Response
- Praise God for supplying the power needed to obey His commands
- Confess the times which you have tried in yourself to obey.
- Ask God to keep you looking unto Jesus to be your source of life in all situations.