Progress
“Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress” (I Timothy 4:15).
Progress, not perfection. As we saw a couple of Sundays ago, the word “perfect” in the Bible means “completion,” “maturity,” “going all the way,” rather than never faltering or sinning or committing an error. But in order to go all the way, I have to pass through today. There are no short-cuts. The goal for today isn’t perfection, it’s progress toward perfection. Perfection isn’t my measuring stick, progress is.
The greatest impact we can have on others isn’t by our attempts to change them. It’s allowing them, or our interactions with them, to change us. When we change, the world changes. I’ve been thinking quite a bit lately about Jesus’ strategy for changing the world. Instead of working to topple the tyrants of nations and empires, he focused instead on toppling the “tyrant” inside each of his own disciples. That tyrant is my egocentric “me.” Jesus’ strategy for transforming the nations was transforming the human heart. His focus was on persons rather than projects. That’s why he invited people to become his disciples rather than his soldiers. Not just Christians, mind you, but disciples; not just people who believe certain doctrines, but who are becoming like their Master.
History has shown that when people try to change things without being changed themselves, they often do more harm than good. That’s why C.S. Lewis encourages us to see this world as a “place of pilgrimage” rather than a project. What appears to be the most direct route (e.g. to changing the world or the people around us) ends up being the long way around, if not a dead end, or even a path to destruction:
“If we thought we were building up a heaven on earth, if we looked for something that would turn the present world from a place of pilgrimage into a permanent city satisfying the soul of man, we are disillusioned, and not a moment too soon.”
“For here we have no lasting city, but we are looking for the city that is to come. Through Jesus, then, let us offer a sacrifice of praise to God — the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased” (Hebrews 13:14-16).
In order to do our best, we have to become our best. We become our best, not so we can pat ourselves on the back like the Pharisees did, but so that we offer our best to others.
May 30, 2008 at 8:55 pm
Growing up as a child I have always wanted to impress people or family members quite often. With positions I’ve held or money that I have made or the material things I had, thinking I was cool. But that is what I saw growing up with people in my family, some always trying to out due the other and being proud of it. That has placed a great distance between me and a lot of my family members. It wasn’t until I started coming to church and giving my life to Christ that I realized something is really wrong with that. As I progress in building better relationships with my family I only hope I set the right examples of how a disciples are really suppose to be like. Thank you Jesus for being with all of us as we move forward with our relationship with you..