Pursuing Perfection

I love when Honors connects with real life. I've been reading a lot of Paul's letters recently and I have really enjoyed discussing him in class, even though it (sadly) came at the end of the semester after our papers. Talking about the Sermon on the Mount and the Didache today also connected some dots... sophomores may remember Bonhoeffer from last semester (freshmen- look forward to him :))... he also talked about the Sermon on the Mount. With hundreds of years between the writing of the Didache and The Cost of Discipleship, there must have been something in this idea of righteousness and perfection from God rather than the self, since both address the issue. Today in class we defined "perfect" in the Greek as whole, complete, true to yourself and your purpose. Bonhoeffer says, "Our task is simply to keep on following, looking only to our Leader who goes on before, taking no notice of ourselves or what we are doing. We must be unaware of our own righteousness, and see it only in so far as we look into Jesus; then it will seem not extraordinary, but quite ordinary and natural. Thus we hide the visible from ourselves in obedience to the word of Jesus." Sometimes I know I get caught up in trying to make everything work out just so... yeah I'm a perfectionist. But how freeing this is from the Didache and Bonhoeffer- from Christ comes our perfection. Our righteousness is in Him, so we can stop striving and look to him. Pursuing Him results in a pursuit of righteousness and perfection, so he is sanctifying us as we go. So, maybe you are not able to bear the entire yoke of the Lord, maybe you're overwhelmed with papers and finals and life.... keep running the race and do the best you can- you aren't a failure; you're being made perfect in the process.
I have been so blessed by journeying with you all this semester. Seeking truth can be painful, but it's so worth it. See you next semester, friends! Much love!

commented on Lauren's "The Search"