Philippians 3:15 – ‘Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude…’
When my son was younger, I asked him to get me a drink. He was happy to serve me, but he ended up spilling some of it on the delivery. I did not get upset at him because I knew his intentions were good.
What does the Bible mean by ‘perfect?’ We often equate perfection with perfect performance, but the Bible lets us know that God is looking at the intentions of our heart. The attitude of heart that the Apostle Paul says is perfect in God’s eyes, is one that is continually pressing to follow Jesus while also forgetting what lies behind and reaching for what lies ahead. In other words, perfection in God’s eyes is not perfect performance but an attitude of love towards him that wants to learn from mistakes and become more of a blessing to Him.
The good news is that this attitude of heart is a gift of grace for those who daily look to Jesus. In 1 Thessalonians 5, Paul says, ‘Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely…faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.’ (NASB)
Heavenly Father, thank you for the Holy Spirit’s work to give me a new heart that desires to serve you and honor you. Help me to trust Jesus’ finished work on the cross for my shortcomings, and to have an attitude that is always reaching for what’s ahead; learning from my mistakes along the way. Amen.