Today’s Devotional Theme
Perfection
Daily Scripture
Ecclesiastes 7:20
“There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins.”
Encouragement
Do you sometimes feel like the people you love most keep letting you down? Does it seem like you do so much for them yet never get anything back in return? Or, do you harbor resentment over certain situations where you didn't get the treatment you thought you deserved? Sometimes you feel like you are the victim of what they did or said. EVERYBODY has felt this way at times. People can, and most likely will, let you down or disappoint you in your lifetime. Just remember that they aren't perfect! Keeping a tally on who it was, what they did, how many times it has happened, and how it made you feel, will only make you even more miserable. It is unhealthy to dig into your file cabinet to remember the last time, or the time before that. When we put high expectations on other people, or depend on them for our self-worth, happiness, security, acceptance, approval... It only shows how imperfect we can be for doing so. It is a dangerous thing to place a person on a pedestal and expect them to be what you need without room for error. Once we realize this, we can better understand that we have partially contributed to our own disappointment.
Apply God’s Word
Jesus is perfection! He has felt the sting of mankind's imperfection. He was denied by Peter, who loved Him the most, 3 times (Luke 22:34)! He healed the sick (Luke 4:40), raised the dead (John 11: 43-44), fed the hungry (Matthew 14:21), gave freedom to the captive (Acts 12: 5-11), and forgave people of their sins (Psalm 103:12). Jesus even gave his life on a cross for us, asking for our forgiveness as He suffered and died. Jesus loves us UNCONDITIONALLY (John 3:16). Yet, the very people who loved Him the most, after all He did for them, let Him down, abused Him, crucified Him. I'm sure He was disappointed by them (not surprised), and that He gets disappointed with us too sometimes. But, in His perfection, and if we humbly ask for His forgiveness, knowing that we aren't perfect, He covers us with grace and casts our sins into the sea to be remembered no more! He doesn't keep a tally, or a file cabinet (as we sometimes do) to remember them. As Christians, we are to live our lives as Christ did. Jesus knows that we are imperfect, therefore we should rely on him to help us to do things to the best of our ability, and to help us to not expect perfection from others as well. Only through Christ and His word should we find our self-worth, happiness, security, acceptance, approval, etc. Jesus shows us the best way to have abundant life, how to experience life with other people, and most of all how to love and forgive others. You can place God himself on a pedestal because He is the only one that can fulfill your needs perfectly. He is the perfect example of the person we need to be. Don't worry about what other people say about you, or do to you, because you are the reflection of God and He loves you. He appreciates the things you do out of love for others. He wants you to be free from the "unforgiving" file cabinet of remembrance that we look through at times. He wants you to know that even if it goes against the way you have always done things, His ways are the best ways. So, if you want to stop being the victim, then stop allowing your carnal-self to act like one! Hold your head high knowing that you are a child of the "Most High!"
Come into His Presence
Lord, help us to understand that we can't place high expectations on the people around us; even our loved ones. It is not fair to them, and it is not fair to ourselves. Help us to be the person You have designed us to be, and treat others by Your example. Help us to forgive like You forgive, love like You love. You know we aren't perfect, so why should we expect someone else to be? Help us Lord, for YOU are exactly what we need. In Jesus' name. Amen.
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