The Bible never ceases to astound me! Even after many years of reading and studying, it still produces new gems. Reading the closing verses of 2 Corinthians recently, I was challenged by the following: ‘Aim for perfection … be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.’ (2 Corinthians 13:11)
I wonder what it means to aim for perfection? I have to admit that, before I understood that I am saved by grace and not by good works, I thought that God only accepted the good and the righteous. Now I realise that I am not saved by good works, but through the sacrifice of Christ. So why do I need to ‘aim for perfection’? I conclude that aiming for perfection is not a requirement for salvation, but a great piece of advice to help me in my quest to be more Christ-like!
When we aim, we may fall short, but at least we are doing our best, and when we endeavour to be the best that we can be, everyone benefits! Our pursuit of ‘one mind’ (unity) and ‘peace’ (2 Corinthians 11) lifts not only us, but those we share our lives with. The world has an expression: ‘If they do not like me … tough!’ Aiming for perfection indicates our seriousness for the things of God. Paul concludes 2 Corinthians 13:11 by declaring that, when we aim for unity and peace, ‘the God of love and peace will be with you’. Today, I encourage us to ‘aim for perfection’ in our worship, relationships, and desire to grow in the things of God; let’s not be a people who settle for second best!