During my teen years in my neighborhood, I was tops at running, handball, cycling, and a few other sports. Though others were better at other sports, like Ray at basketball, and Angel at baseball, I was still an all-around athlete. Those who couldn’t play, run, bike, or shoot baskets, were considered “scrubs”, a “fish,” or someone who “stank” at what they did. They were the ones no one wanted on their team. I, however, was perfect. I had the great hair! I wore the right pants-seamless/French cuts. I wore the Playboy shoes everyone loved. From velvet tops in maroon with the black one-inch rubber-soles, to leather, or the wet-look ones with black, brown, or deep blue soles, they were the perfect shoe for dressing up as well as for playing a few easy games of basketball. (See awesome images online and read the comments of those who used them). After my teenage years, I came across this great poster saying:
Teenagers Tired of Being Harassed By Your Stupid Parents? Act Now! Move Out…Get A Job…Pay Your Own Bills.
Do It While You Still Know Everything. Can you believe it, but I was still perfect during my twenties! Heck, I was just getting started! Now, don’t get me wrong, I was a nice guy, just…perfect… and didn’t know it. I’d snub my nose at those who couldn’t cycle as fast or as far as I did. “Peasants, mere peasants” goes the saying, and I agreed. “What chumps they were,” I thought. Moving on through the years, even in my fifties, though a Christian of some thirty years by then, I was still perfect! A lot older, but hey! Others, however, weren’t so fortunate. They didn’t measure up! I wondered how long until “They’d get it.” Throughout the years, a lot of that perfection has diminished. The looks (and hair) are gone, the chic clothing is out-of-style; and even the agilities have vanished. But don’t be fooled, although the shine and luster have waxed off and my ego has undergone drastic changes, I can’t say it’s all gone. Some days it wants to creep up again. I’ve wondered, “Look at that person’s hair,” or will there be room in heaven for him.” Well, I’m finally ready for God’s perfection rather than mine. Are you perfect too? Do you compare others to your excellence? Do they fall short? Are they “Out-of-step” because they don’t move as fast as you, or because they don’t dress or look as good as you? Are they unable to fit in your social circles? Maybe others haven’t noticed you as well as they should-yeah, maybe that’s it! Surely, God knows what prime-choice Christians are, and He knows without a doubt that others should be walking as you walk, enjoying life as you do, they all should be imitating you.
When we’re perfect, we have little tolerance for “scrubs” or for the “fish” who can’t catch or predict which way a Frisbee up in the air is headed… Perfect people can’t stand poverty, ignorance, or in some cases, bad looks. Perfection only knows luxury, personal satisfaction; it cares only for its standard of living. It’s prideful. I’m glad I’ve become normal since shedding my perfection for God’s acceptance. Perfection kept me seeing “The mote in my brother’s eye” but prevented me from acknowledging the beam in mine (Luke 6:42). It robbed me of temperance/tolerance (2Peter 1:3-9). It blinded me to the truths of God’s Word. Patience, tolerance, and love for others were missing from my life. Sympathy was “What’s that?” for me. Perfect people, Christians included, don’t see, or sense the needs in others because they’re more focused on themselves and how others measure up to them. Are you ready to give up what was never yours? Ready to be used by God for His Kingdom and His purposes? When we do, we’ll be great in heaven: You’ll be glad, even ecstatic knowing you’ll be God-approved for His Kingdom. We need to follow God’s perfection which comes through humility, through death to self, through meekness, and by diminishing our ways and exalting His. “Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father”(Matthew 13:43).
“Be therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48)
God Bless!.
Sam