Filter Perfect

Matthew 18:^21-22 “Then Peter came to him and asked, ‘Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!”

Have you grown? From where you were yesterday, have you grown? I speak to newlyweds, and I ask, How is it going? How is married life? And sometimes I get responses like, “She is just the perfect wife” or “He is just the perfect husband”. I give them a thumbs up and smile; I don’t say anything in that moment because I know that there is nothing like a perfect spouse. There is no such thing as a perfect child. If you think your child is perfect, wait until that child is a teenager. Sometimes, you don’t even need to wait that long. Wait until your child is two years old. What I am saying is there is no such thing as a perfect child, a perfect this and that. There is no such thing. So, Pastor, when a wife says her husband is the perfect husband, is she lying? No, she is not, and I will tell you why and why he can remain the perfect husband.

When a husband says his wife is a perfect wife, is he lying? No, he is not. When a mother says her child is such a perfect child, is she lying? No, she is not. There is something that made them arrive at that conclusion, and I am going to show you. If we keep those things, you will always have a “perfect spouse” and a “perfect child”. So, what are these things? Your child, spouse, or friend is only as perfect as you are forgiving. In other words, the less forgiving you are, the more their imperfection becomes an issue to you. That is why Peter asked Jesus, “How many times should my brother offend me… because this forgiveness thing You are saying, Jesus, it is like I see where You are going with it. So, let’s be clear because some of us can draw our swords. Let’s be clear, how many times so that I know that I am not transgressing.” Jesus said seven times seventy times in a day. Peter probably was like, “Oh men!”

Secondly, the person is only as perfect as you are content. Your child, spouse, or friend is only as perfect as you are content. If you lose contentment, then you will begin to complain. Your wife’s food suddenly has too much salt or pepper. This is the same food you used to enjoy before. As long as you are content, he or she will remain perfect. Thirdly, he or she will remain perfect as you are loving. So, when you remain forgiving, content, and loving, you begin to see through the filter of perfection the person that you are with. Why? It is because beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I am sure you have had people say to you, as I have, “Oh, this person is so beautiful. I want to spend the rest of my life with him or her”. And you are like, “Really?” Why? It is because the person is not beautiful to you. But the person is beautiful to them.

Prayer: Father, help me to grow in love, contentment, and forgiveness daily, in Jesus Name. Amen!