Have you ever bought a new car? Remember how it felt when you drove it home for the first time, with its gleaming exterior and spotless upholstery? How did you feel the first time someone dented your fender or one of your children spilled a milkshake in the back seat?

There is a built-in drive for perfection in every human being. We long for perfection, and we are disappointed when something “perfect” is marred. We are unwilling to pay full price for damaged merchandise. We learn even as children that once a thing is broken, the enjoyment is destroyed. Our parents urge us to take care of our things, to put off as long as possible the day when they will wear out and no longer be of value to us.

We work to retain physical perfection. Parents rejoice over the perfection of their newborn child and sorrow over every scar, physical or emotional. We do our best to disguise the evidences of aging in ourselves and sigh over the wrinkles, the sagging skin, the thinning hair, the loss of agility.

We long for the time of glorification when the process will be reversed and we will live in perfect bodies.

Perfection is important to every one of us–and it is important to God as well. He has promised us eternal youth, without disease and pain, as we live for eternity in perfect health and beauty. He has told us about our heavenly home, perfect to the last detail–even the flowers there are perfect and will never fade. We are assured of perfect happiness, for He tells us that there will be no more tears or sorrow or crying.

But we don’t have to wait until heaven for one kind of perfection. God has also promised perfection of character–and that is to be developed here. God has promised perfection, commanded perfection. It is His will for us to be perfect!

God said to Abraham,

“Walk before me, and be thou perfect.” Genesis 17:1.

Jesus told His followers,

“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” Matthew 5:48.

Paul wrote,

“Let us go on unto perfection.” Hebrews 6:1.

Perfection is important; perfection is possible; perfection is necessary for the Christian. But never forget that perfection is God’s work, not ours. Notice some of the Bible evidence:

“God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect.” 2 Samuel 22:33.

“It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.” Psalm 18:32.

“But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” 1 Peter 5:10.

“Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever, Amen.” Hebrews 13:20, 21.

Are you interested in perfection of character? It is possible for you to have it. It is good news to know that even though our physical bodies decay and our material possessions perish with the using, that our inward life can be renewed day by day. See 2 Corinthians 4:16.

“For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.”

Perfect character is available this side of heaven. It is God who is shaping our lives, as long as we remain in relationship with Him. And “his work is perfect.”

Deuteronomy 32:4.

“He is the Rock, his work is perfect: For all his ways are judgment: A God of truth and without iniquity, Just and right is he.”