"Excellent" parenting

It was a birthday party. Shouts and laughter emerged from one of those inflatable things with a net-enclosed bouncing room. Then I heard a grandson voice say, “Now you’re asking for it!” A moment later another little boy emerged crying loudly.

I’m not sure what had transpired, but both moms reprimanded their kids. They sincerely apologized to each other and spoke gently, not placing blame. I was grateful to see common sense and good parenting reign. Each mom admonished her boy to treat others the way he wants to be treated. Neither was trying to be the perfect mom with perfect children. They were helping their young men learn and grow socially.

“I am careful not to confuse excellence with perfection. Excellence I can reach for. Perfection is God’s business.” Michael J. Fox

There is a difference. And people mess themselves up if they confuse the two. Mr Fox is quite right.

Trying to be humanly perfect is an exercise in frustration, because “humanly perfect” is an oxymoron. Nothing human is or can be perfect. Even the best of what we do humanly, changes.

So what did Jesus mean when he said, “You are to be perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”? The Greek word, teleios, translated in King James as “perfect” actually has the meaning of complete, in the sense of growing in mental and moral character.

This makes perfect (pun intended) sense, coming as it does near the middle of the Sermon on the Mount – that blueprint for all relationships. This nutshell of Jesus’ life-message offers specific behaviors in tough situations for people to get along with one another, and to feel good about their own progress. It’s about improving what’s going on in our thinking. What we think comes out in what we say and do. The Sermon offers productive alternatives to arguing and fighting, deceit and selfishness.

Jesus required looking within and improving our thoughts and deeds so we can grow mentally and spiritually into something resembling how our Maker knows us and intends us to be.

Both moms were gracious and generous, following the altercation.

Excellence IS something we can reach for.

Here are two useful takes on the “Be perfect” statement.

“There must be no limit to your goodness,

as your heavenly Father’s goodness knows no bounds.”

New English Bible

“Live generously and graciously towards others,

the way God lives toward you.”

The Message