I once attended a church conference in which I was struck by the church’s culture of excellence. The leaders and staff had a quality about them that was striking — they all gave their work everything they had while maintaining a humility that was authentic. While they were proud of their ministries and put on the conference in order to share all they had learned, it was not about their own efforts or an ego-boost.
This experience got me thinking about the differences between perfectionism and excellence. First of all, perfectionism and excellence are on opposite ends of the pride-humility spectrum. Perfectionism is rooted in pride because ultimately it is all about striving to be the best. But my best can never be the best. If my best were the best, then I would be the standard-setter. And if I were the standard-setter, I could also be the judge of others who failed to meet that standard. It is here we see that in perfectionism we are taking God’s place as the standard-setter and judge. He alone is perfect.
Excellence, on the other hand, is rooted in humility. It is cultivated in a system in which there are clear roles, expectations and authority structures. Excellence is driven by one’s character — the end result does not matter nearly as much as how you got there. Hard work, dedication, calling and team-building are all central to a culture of excellence.
Matthew 5:48 says, “But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Perfectionists for Jesus! But wait a second… This statement comes during the Sermon on the Mount, in which Jesus is contrasting the outward acts of law-following with the inward heart of Spirit-following. Here Jesus is saying, “Guys, if you want to get to heaven relying on your law-following, then perfection is your only option because God is perfect. The only way to get to Him through the law is perfection.” The obvious implication is that being perfect is impossible, just as relationship with the God based on our own works is impossible. We cannot be perfect and we are in desperate need of a Savior.
Are you striving for perfection? Is your Christian walk rooted in pride or in humility? May we become a Church that is deeply humble, devoted to our Father, and excellent in all we seek to do for His kingdom.
I love your explanation of Matthew 5:48! This is very helpful practically and spiritually. Thank you so much for your efforts in bringing mental health awareness into the body of christ.