Daily Archives: April 17, 2018

“Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery

So many times in our lives, we believe that, in order to get better or be better, we have to add something to what we do. For example, we need to pray more, we need to volunteer more time helping others, we need to do more, et cetera. While that might be a component of perfection, it is not the entire recipe.

In order to be perfect, we must not only add, we must also take away.

It is just like dieting — or so I have heard. 🙂 We cannot add fresh vegetables and fruits and expect to lose weight. In addition, we have to give up candy, cookies, and other snacks. There is a balance that must be achieved. Just so, it does no good to volunteer more if we hold on to grudges. We need to let those grudges go. It does no good to pray more if we talk about others. We have to give up our gossip. It does no good to invite others to worship with us if we actively exclude others. We have to give up being exclusive.

If we refuse to let go of things, we become hypocrites. Perfection demands that we do as much as possible to become more like the people God calls us to be and to get rid of as much as possible that keeps us from being as close to God as we could be. Perfection is not easy. It takes much work.

But the benefits? Ah. They are well worth the effort. After all, who wouldn’t want to be closer to God this day?

FAITH ACTION:  In serious contemplation today, ask God what He wants you to give away or get rid of in order to draw even closer to Him.