Dr. Dan Hayden •
As a major league baseball pitcher, Orel Hersiser wasn’t perfect. But man, was he good! In fact, he came about as close to perfection as a baseball player could come. He did lose a game now and then, though, so he wasn’t really perfect.
Perfect doesn’t always mean without fault, without error. It can sometimes mean “complete” – having come to a point of maturity.
In 2 Timothy 3: 16 & 17, we learn there is a benefit to allowing the Word of God to have an effect on our lives. These verses say,
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
Now notice that the Word of God in its teaching, reproving, correcting, and training ministry – can make a person “perfect.” “That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
Well, the word “perfect” is a word that actually means “complete,” and in come contexts, it can simply mean “fresh” – at the peak of its development (like a well-formed peach, ripened on the tree to the point of being perfectly complete – fresh fruit).
Well, that’s what happens to a person who turns his or her life over to the Lord and lets the Word of God perform its transforming work day after day. That person becomes complete as a man or woman of God. He or she becomes spiritually mature.
James 1:2 & 3 illustrates this: “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into [various trials], knowing this, that the [testing] of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and complete, [lacking] nothing.”
That’s it. The Word of God, coupled with the trials of life, will make you a person of excellent character – a mature person – a perfect person.
Say – Remember perfect doesn’t mean you’re really perfect. It just means you don’t act like a kid anymore.