Aim for Perfection

(11) Finally, brothers, good-by. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. 2 Corinthians 13:11 (Apostle Paul to the saints at Corinth)

After running around the track at Premier Health and Fitness Center, with one of my life-long friends, we began to talk about one of our baseball coaches we had when we were teenagers. While we were huffing and puffing during our cool down, we discussed our coach’s hard-nosed disciplinarian style.

To give you an idea of what this coach was like, I will tell you how he introduced himself to me. At my first practice under his tutelage, as he was watching me throw, he commented on how I was throwing the baseball like a girl. Then, he asked me a question and I answered with a “yea” instead of “yes sir”. Next thing I know, I was running a lap around the baseball field for not responding to him properly. This discipline is just what I needed because I was a cocky thirteen year old teenager.

This coach’s specialty was working with outfielders. He demanded perfection as he would take us through our different drills. For every mess up or error, he made us run a lap around the baseball field. Without exception, every player who participated in his outfielder drills ended up running laps. Sometimes, many of us would run up to fifteen laps after our outfield sessions.

Through hard work, I won a starting spot on the team as a centerfielder, which was the most important position to my coach. Because this coach demanded perfection from his centerfielder, I would go on to play the best baseball of my life under his leadership. He demanded perfection and we became the best fifteen year old Babe Ruth baseball team in the world. He saw destiny in us and knew what it took for us to become great. Our success was no accident.

In Matthew 5:48 Jesus said, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” This passage means to be complete and mature in your faith. I wonder how many Christians aim for perfection. Unfortunately, I have met so many Christians who settle for mediocrity and failure in their faith. Because of this attitude, these Christians live well below God’s standards for their lives. At best, they are barely hanging on hoping to slip into heaven when it is all said and done. They are making no impact for Jesus in this world.

Jesus did not die a brutal death and offer his life as a sacrifice on the cross for us so we would live in sin and defeat. No, he expects us and empowers us to be like God, who is our Father is heaven. God commands and demands that his people obey. 1 John 2:5-6 says, “(5) But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. (6) Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.”

My fifteen year old Babe Ruth baseball coach demanded perfection and he got it. I played three years at centerfield without making an error. I was complete and mature as a centerfielder. He also instilled in us a work ethic and mindset that enabled us to become World Champions. I have a permanent love in my heart for this great coach who would settle for nothing but our best.

Just like my coach, Jesus requires our absolute best and knows what it takes for us to attain greatness. Hebrews 12:2a says, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.” As we embrace God’s discipline, we too can be mature and complete in our faith, and become champions who change the world for Jesus. Go on...be a Champion for Christ!

(10) Our fathers (and coaches) disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good so that we may share in his holiness. (11) “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:10b-11