Just Perfect
“Jesus answered, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’ When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.”
Today’s Text: Matthew 19:13-22 (Living Life Daily Devotional)
That rich, young man was determined to have it all. Not only was he wealthy, but he wanted everyone to think of him as being perfect. What a shocker it must have been for him to be told that it was impossible for him or anyone to be perfect, despite the fact that Jesus Himself said,
“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
— Matthew 5:48
Clearly, Jesus was not giving us a literal command. When the rich, young man asked about the “good” things he needed to do to have eternal life, Jesus said that only the Father is good. By demanding perfection, Jesus was saying that we should desire to have the goodness of God, even knowing that “goodness” is beyond our own capacity to attain.
Indeed, there is nothing good in us. Striving for goodness, like this rich, young man, is always motivated by selfishness, self-righteousness, and self-glorification.
And yet, we do attain a state of “goodness” because of our union with Christ through faith. And so, we don’t really need to “strive” for goodness, as the rich, young man was doing. Christ is my goodness, because Christ is in me, through faith.
And because Christ is in me, I should let the goodness of Christ shine through me for the world to see, as my witness. And my witness is also that I can never claim ownership of any goodness demonstrated through my life. Because it can only come from Christ in me.
Father, You alone are good. And You want Your goodness to shine in us. Forgive me for my pride. If I ever do anything good, let me not give praise to myself, but give praise to You only. But let Your goodness shine in me for the sake of Your glory and my joy. In Jesu’s name. Amen.
