Matthew 5:48 says to “be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (NIV)
In Christian culture it is seen as normal to strive for absolute perfection.. This act of striving for perfection — or perfectionism — might look like striving for perfect grades, obtaining the perfect look or seeking .
“It's pretty natural for us to get this idea that we are supposed to be perfect,” Laura Gerig, department chair and associate professor of psychology, said. “Sometimes we miss the other side of the story, which is that (Jesus) knows we are not perfect…”
Since The Fall, humans have always been broken, unable to attain true perfection. But This fact does not stop us from wanting more and more, to be perfect.
“Like so many truths, this revelation of God's will has been perverted by human misinterpretation and misapplication, with the tragic result of perfectionism being the consequence,” Ed Meadors, professor of biblical studies, said.
One way to unravel oneself from this expectation of perfection is to first examine our mindset.
Having a mindset of perfection comes at a cost— usually losing sleep in order to pursue perfect grades or waking up extra early to maintain the perfect look. Not that this is inherently negative, but it can lead down a dangerous path, unconcerned with the true reason we should seek perfection.
“We find our true — and perfect — identity within Christ, not individual achievements,” Meadors said.
Viewing oneself as absolutely perfect or entirely a failure is an example of a fixed mindset. A growth mindset, however, is understanding that even though one is imperfect, we should still try to strive for perfection.
Changing a fixed mindset can take many forms, one being adopting a growth mindset — striving for improvement over perfection.
“When people say the goal is perfection, I know I'm not going to reach that,” Gerig said. “But if I can set achievable goals that I keep working toward, knowing that the goal is growth, not just perfection, then that can sometimes protect me from as much discouragement.”
Unfortunately, it is natural for perfectionistic creatures, such as humans, to feel discouraged and disheartened when not every little thing goes to plan. There is still value in small victories and accomplishments.
Darcia Nurkkala, coordinator of academic outreach, echoed the sentiment of progress over perfection.
“We can only change a little bit at a time,” Nurkkala said. “Tackling one small thing, making progress opens the rest to happen more naturally. You know, as you once you master that, now you can tackle the next thing. So progress kind of happens naturally after that, if you keep that mindset.”
The value of a growth mindset opens doors of possibilities that would have otherwise been closed because of our perfectionist tendencies. Focusing on the small, everyday glimpses of perfection make them that much more special.
Christ knows that we are not perfect, and that the only true perfection comes from a union with God the Father. Through him, we get a glimpse of what true perfection is.
“It is through union with Christ that we are “to be perfect as God is perfect,” as Jesus foresees in Matthew 5:48,” Meadors said.
