Psalm 119:129-130,133-134 (NIV) 129 Your statutes are wonderful; therefore I obey them. 130 The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. 133 Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me. 134 Redeem me from the oppression of men, that I may obey your precepts.
Matthew 5:17, 19-20, 48 (NIV) 17"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 19Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. 48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Perfectionists are hard working people always ready to put in great effort to do things well, especially in giving attention to detail. Perfectionists may be demanding of other people, but usually they are equally, and sometimes more, demanding of themselves. They carry with them an inner critic who constantly tells them what they must do and how they can do it even better if they just try hard enough. And that is where the problems begin. Perfectionists are continually frustrated by their own failure, and the failure of others as well.
What happens when a perfectionist comes to Jesus? Jesus said outright “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect,” and demanded conformity to the Scriptures. Now we begin to see some light. We must be as right as our Father in Heaven, we must be as perfect as our Father in Heaven who makes it rain on the just and the unjust, the good and the not so good people of this world.
The Rightness and Perfection of our Father in Heaven refers to the wholeness of God’s compassion for people, compassion that can be expressed as being against what is evil and destructive, and for what is good and healthy and whole. Jesus brings us face to face with a whole new meaning of the word perfect. It means whole-souled commitment to do what we are told in Scripture. It means a complete keeping of the promise that with God helping us we will never betray others, will not do anything to hurt or harm others, we will not lash out in anger, nor faithlessly slip away, nor speak deceitful words. Of that kind of rightness and that perfection we can always use more. Jesus spoke of a perfection that makes the will of God the pinpoint focus of what we are to move toward. Nothing less will do, but that is enough.
From a sermon preached by Henry Dobbs Pope September 1, 1991
© Rhonda Hinkle Mitchell Broyles
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