Pursuing Perfection



As a writer, I have drawn a good bit of criticism over the years. Some of it's constructive, some downright mean-spirited. But nobody could possibly be as hard on me as I am. As the saying goes, I am my harshest critic. My self-flagellation is far worse than any reader's ridicule.

The tiniest mistake &#0151 a minor typo, an absent comma &#0151 makes me seethe. Bigger mistakes make me start hitting stuff. I proof-read my stories several times, critiquing the grammar, the structure and the general flow of the story. My self-criticism is a result of my desire for perfection. I feel it is the best way to achieve excellence in my field.

As a sports writer, I cover people who are also very self-analytical. Athletes who aren't easily satisfied are the ones who succeed the most. They take pride in their accomplishments, but they don't settle when they know they can do better. They are constantly searching for ways to improve.

This pursuit of excellence is to be commended, but the question arises as to what motivates it. Sometimes such drive is a product of low self-esteem or a fear of failure, which is ultimately detrimental to one's emotional well-being. If success proves elusive, such a person will become a complete wreck. The best motivation is stewardship &#0151 maximizing the potential of our God-given gifts.

I admit that too often the wrong things motivate me. I sometimes feel like I have a lot to prove to the world, that I can be as good as the writers I so admire (e.g., Gary Smith, Dave Barry, Frank Peretti). Of course, I'll never be as good as those brilliant men, and I shouldn't obsess about being so. I should simply be content with glorifying God with every word I write.

At the same time, I should not be content with just getting by. When God gives us a blessing, He expects us to use it well. So it behooves me to strive for excellence in my work. Anything less would be disobedience.

So it is with my Christian walk. I am instructed to imitate Christ and to please God in all I say and do. Thankfully, I am not judged by the law. I am expected to obey the law, but being a hopelessly sinful human, I could never earn God's favor. So I am judged by Christ's righteousness instead.

I think of Him as a ghost writer for my life. Like the former athlete with little literary skill who has a real writer pen his autobiography, Christ has authored what I could not &#0151 a life unstained by imperfection. His sinlessness is imputed to me just as my sin was imputed to Him on that cross. By no other means could I receive God's blessing of salvation.

I'm just as hard on myself &#0151 if not more so &#0151 in spiritual matters as I am in my writing. I am always seeking ways to better follow God's will, and I doggedly scrutinize my beliefs to make sure they are biblical. Despite my constant failures, I remain encouraged by God's promise of daily sanctification. And by His promise that no matter what I or anyone may say about me, His opinion is the only one that matters.

(This article courtesy of Agape Press.)

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