If any of these traits describe you, then you and I have a lot in common. Throughout life, I’ve strived to be the best at everything I do, and have consequently beat myself up for failing at this goal—multiple times. Though I’m slowly learning that the ability to laugh at one’s self and to not expect perfection are two vital attributes, a devotion I recently read greatly effected me.
In the devotion, Mathew 22: 34-40 is referenced, in which Jesus says, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" The devotion discusses how at first, this mission can seem daunting, and even impossible. But then, the devotion writer drops a line of hope: “…though we will not become saints overnight, we can do a little better each day. I'm not yet what God wants me to be, but thank God I'm better than I used to be.”
Immediately, this line struck me as awesome: though simple, the idea of focusing on progress, not perfection was fresh and amazing to me. What a great paradigm of life: to live each day individually and to pursue improvement every day. Though the devotion’s author was referencing the commandments given my Jesus in the passage, I know that this line can be applied to ANY and ALL areas of life. One of the top lines of my Personal Mission Statement reads, “Strive for personal betterment.” Not viewing this as a series of small, everyday improvements can seem unreachable too. So here’s my challenge to you: each day, strive to improve yourself from the day before, always focusing on progress (never perfection), and living each day to the fullest!
