Perfectionism Just Right

Are you the creative sort? Do you write or paint or work in clay? Are you very detail-oriented; do you work and work until everything is exactly right? Sometimes we say that someone who can't let well enough alone is a perfectionist.

Perfectionism is a personal standard or an attitude that demands perfection and accepts nothing less. This can be directed towards others, but is often only applied to oneself. It is the belief that perfection is attainable. That I am good enough to be perfect.

Remember that book from elementary school, How to Be Perfect in Just Three Days, by Stephen Manes? Probably not. I read a lot in school, so I read books no one else has heard of!! The main character is a misfit who finds this book about how to be perfect and decides to follow the book to the letter. I remember he had to do things like sit in perfect stillness for 3 hours with cauliflower around his neck. The moral of the story is that you can't be perfect.

But we still try, don't we?

We are encouraged in Scripture to work as hard as we can for perfect holiness: "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1-2) And James tells us that faith without works is dead, so we must work at it, mustn't we?

Yes, but we're not the only ones working at it.

Colossians tells us that we are God's workmanship. He is creating a masterpiece. We are the clay, and He is the master potter. And He is a perfectionist.

He is perfect.

And what He is creating in you, and in me, is perfect. Philippians 1:6 reminds us that "He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus."

So when we look in the mirror held up by the Holy Spirit and we see less than perfection, yes, we must work to clean it up. But the work has already begun through the cleansing blood of Jesus, and the work will continue. God won't stop until you -- and I -- are perfect.