Perfection

Know this with crystal-clarity:

Perfection Exists.

But through our humanness, we melt the idea of perfection

with perceptions and comparison and unrelenting standards

until we end up with an indistinguishable mess

that in no way resembles the perfection that God intends.

A Perfect God, A Perfect Goodness, A Perfect Love

created our Original and Unique Design,

created our Fearfully-and-Wonderfully-Made Selves,

created our Beauty and our Inmost Beings.

Yet we strive for "perfection."

Perfection exists, God knows.

Actually, "perfect" is an adjective first given to a man named Noah

who was "just and perfect in his generations."

And why was Noah so perfect? (Perhaps his hair? His physique? His eating?)

Noah was called perfect

Because Noah walked with God. (Gen. 6:9)

Noah, a regular guy, walked with God

by deciding, despite distractions and disbelievers and doubters,

to let God lead and he would follow.

He would follow, even when it meant foregoing his own preferences.

He would follow, even when it didn't seem to make human sense;

He would follow, even when it meant ridicule and scorn by others;

He would follow, because he believed in the God of Perfect Love.

Somehow Noah knew:

Perfection simply means yielding to the Perfect One, every time, even when it's not so simple.

Perfection means walking in the One Direction of Perfect Love, even when there are multiple directions from which to choose.

Perfection means trusting that the One who Designed us has created us to love and be loved, even when we question the design of all of it.

Perfection means knowing that there is One perfecting us in His Essence, even when His ways seem to make no sense to us.

Want a perfect activity?

Walk with God.

Walking with God means at least we're moving, we're trying...

and we expect to stumble here and there...

because we all stumble in many things...(but) if anyone does not stumble in word, he/she is perfect. (James 3:2)

In other words,

Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check. (James 3:2)

When our tongue uses only words which reflect the Word,

when we speak

only the language of Perfect Love to ourselves and to others,

when we speak only words which love God and others,

our speech is perfect.

And this keeps our whole body in check.

Want a perfect body?

Speak the language of Perfect Love.

The Word which became flesh used His Words:

"I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven...If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matthew 5:43-48)

Perfection exists.

Want perfection in life?

Perfection is not about looking "lovely," but loving all those we look upon;

Perfection is not about being "better than," but by loving ourselves and others better than we think we can;

Perfection is not about claiming "first place," in all we do,

but by placing first our obedience and trust in a Perfect God Who Will Do all things for our good.

It is said that practice does not make perfect; practice makes permanent.

Want perfection?

Practice relying on the permanence of God.

Our Creator has made everything beautiful in its time. (Eccl. 3:11)

And Be-You-Tiful means

Be.

and Be You.

and Be. YOU. Fully.

and Fully You is Fully Beautiful;

and Being Fully You is the Fullest Expression of God in You,

which is the Fullest Expression of Love In You.

Be-You-Tiful means

Fully You seeking Fullness from that which can't be seen (by human eyes)

but is Absolutely Fully Felt and Fully True.

Not that I have already obtained it (this goal of being Christlike) or have already been made perfect, but I actively press on so that I may take hold of that (perfection) for which Christ Jesus took hold of me and made me His Own. (Phil 3:12)

Breathe in the truth about perfection...

It is not our doing, but His.

Keep On Being Perfected.