Many of us think being a Christian is about striving to be perfect. Believe it or not, perfection is unattainable. If that’s our goal, we will always fall short. God isn’t looking for perfection. If he were, then the following people would not make it into His kingdom.
- Thomas doubted.
- Rahab was a harlot
- Peter was impulsive.
- Martha worried.
- Elijah feared Jezebel.
- Moses struck the rock in anger.
- Paul killed Christians.
Yet we know from the Bible that these people were considered faithful servants of God. You see, God isn’t looking for perfection.
It’s only natural to want to improve ourselves, but if we only concentrate on our short comings we miss the glimmer of the Holy Spirit dwelling within. Some of us look into our spiritual mirrors and see distorted images of ourselves. This image we see is important. After all, we are made in God’s image. (Genesis 1:27)
When I was a kid occasionally we would go to an amusement park. Amusement parks are full of rides, junk food, and fun! And one of the “funnest” places to go was the Fun House. They had these wavy mirrors that made you look fat, tall, skinny, or short. They distorted your image, which for a kid is pretty funny.
However, as we get older even looking into a normal mirror can be a little disconcerting. What do we see? Wrinkles? Baggy eyes? Double chins? Scars?
Did you know that when God looks at us, that’s not what he sees? God doesn’t look at an outward appearance. He looks at the heart. (Proverbs 21:2; 1 Samuel 17:31) God knows the worst about us but He sees our best. He sees a reflection of Himself – and God wants us to see what He sees.
2 Corinthians 3:18 tells us there is a transformation taking place in us that reflects the glory of God.
“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
So do we fall short? Yes, because we aren’t perfect. The Christian life is not about perfection; it’s about reflection – reflecting the glory of God.
