'Be Ye Perfect'

I have not had commercial television in my home for over ten years. The new condo came with it, so I have been flipping through channels, checking out current programming. My general reaction; ‘Holy Carp!’

I have watched some HGTV. Hey it’s helpful as I try to decorate an unfurnished condo in ‘early thrift store’. I became distracted by a show titled ‘House Hunters’, about young people (mid twenties) looking to buy their first house. What shocked me was the budget these people would come up with; anything from $300,000 to $850,000. Are you kidding me?

OK, my basic comment on this is; it lead to a conversation about what would be the catchphrase to describe this lifestyle. Well, you know me…I came up with ‘Be Ye Perfect’.

‘Be Ye Perfect’ comes from the Bible (not surprised, are you?). It’s in the New Testament, Matthew 5:48. In the KJV it reads “Be ye therefore perfect, even as you’re Father which is in heaven is perfect.”  Lest there be any doubt this is Jesus speaking. I don’t intend this post to be a Sunday School Lesson, but I do believe that every soul alive today has a spark of the divine within them, and I believe it’s this admonition  that drives so many to serious distraction. Let me explain.

The world seems to be running to and fro in an absolute feeding frenzy of materialism. Everybody wants more and better all of the time. I don’t mean to argue with a desire to better yourself, be more comfortable, move on up, but I do wonder why people are willing to plunge themselves into unimaginable debt to achieve this perceived perfection.

It’s my belief that true perfection as a person is most likely not attainable in this lifetime (I suppose that’s a real problem for the person who doesn’t belie in any sort of afterlife). It’s a process. I also believe that this life is our opportunity to begin that process and be on track to achieve that perfection which our Father in Heaven desires for us. I also believe that, just maybe, it’s that spark of the divine that resides within each and every one of us, that drives us to search out and try to create perfection within our lives by having bigger, better, and more, as opposed to seeking an inner perfection of our spirits.

I don’t believe for a minute that perfection lies within a huge mortgage payment, or an outrageous car payment, or the perfect hairstyle, wardrobe or even nose job. True perfection that speaks to our divine spark spawns kindness, love and empathy for our fellow men. True perfection comes when we love enough to set aside our petty wants and desires to help someone else achieve their hopes and dreams. It’s not envy, or malice, or retribution of any sort, but forgiveness and an ability to move on in our lives from those situations and people who have wronged us.

For those of you who are still with me, I say ‘Thank You’ for indulging me as I try to reaffirm my personal beliefs. I place myself in a situation where I’m forced to start completely over (a lot) and sometimes that really frustrates me. I’ve been feeling frustrated lately, with my big move. I love the place I live, but things are not perfect. I need to keep reminding myself exactly what I believe about perfection and the admonition to ‘Be Ye Perfect’. I may need to buy one of those trite little signs that hang in every gift shop around here that says ‘If you’re lucky enough to live at the lake, you’re lucky enough’.

As I try to perfect my spirit, I do know I’m lucky and loved and blessed.

Just though you might want to know what I’ve been thinking.