The word “perfect.” It is a funny word in our house. Often times my husband will call me Mary Poppins and I will jokingly say, “Practically perfect in every way.” Not really sure where this whole banter started but it probably will continue the rest of our lives.
Practically perfect. You know…because no one is perfect, except Jesus. We have been taught that since we were in the toddler room in Sunday School.
Beth Moore in her James study dug down to the root meaning of the word perfect. She captured it in four ways. To be perfect is to:
- Grow up fully in Jesus
- Bear much fruit
- Give God glory
- Not miss a single thing Christ died on the cross to give us
Think about each one of those on a personal level.
Am I growing fully in Jesus?
Growing implies an increase or expansion. This is not stagnant but it is progressing towards knowing Jesus better.
Am I bearing much fruit?
Fruit is grown so that the tree or plant can reproduce itself. It also shows usefulness. Fruit is also symbolic of our actions or behavior. What kind of behaviors do I demonstrate to the world?
Am I giving God the glory for all aspects of my life – the good, the bad, the ugly?
Perfection means that God gets the glory. There is no room for “I” or “prIde” in any situations. Also God gets glory for even those “unanswered prayers.”
Do I truly understand all that Christ’s death did for me?
Grace. Forgiveness. Love. Peace. Debt paid. Eternity. Relationship. Joy. Hope………..
I am far from perfect. Actually, I am far from being practically perfect. But as I grow, bear more fruit, give God the glory, and begin to wrap my mind around Christ’s death I am taking steps towards being more like Him. And if that is what it means to be perfect, what an amazing goal!
Want to grow? I encourage you to read my journey in “A Quiet Time, Worth the Time.”
