The Ideal and the Real

I am by personality an idealist. I would like to have an ideal family, be part of an ideal church, have my finances in ideal order, have my theological thinking ideally aligned with God's complete revelation, and I want to be the ideal person.

But the reality is that none of that is so. I don't have an ideal family, we are dysfunctional to some degree like most families are. I have never been part of an ideal church, they have, like most families, been dyfunctional. My use of finances have not met the ideal presented in the books I have read. I know that my theological understanding of God is incomplete, and likely wrong on somethings (I just don't know where). I have not been an ideal father, husband, leader, friend, or anything else. I can't point at myself and tell the world, "be like me." That would not be a good idea.

I can look at myself and see my many flaws, imperfections, and weaknesses. I know how far I fall from the ideal. I've been a Christian for 30 plus years, in fact I've been an ordained minister for over 30 years, and I still have "gaps" in my life that discourage me at times. After reading thousands of books, after listening to thousands of tapes and CD's, and after being counseled and advised by some of the wisest and most profound Christian leaders in the world, I still have not arrived at the ideal. My progress could best be described as "three steps forward and one back." The truth is I have "shot myself in the foot" so many times, that I have considered writing a book entitled, "Walking with Jesus on Bullet-Riddled Feet."

I believe in the ideal, but I must live with the real. Reality is that I will never fully reach the ideal. Perfection is outside of my grasp in this life. But the reality is Jesus has lived the "ideal" for me, and all that He is and has done, is credited to me. I do want to move forward and experience more transformation in my life. But I can do that resting in the fact the Father loves me "warts and all." His love for me is not based on my achieving the ideal, its based on Christ having achieved the ideal, and I am "in Christ."

I am encouraged by the words of the apostle Paul in Philippians 3, "Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me His own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do; forgetting what lies behind and straining for what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (vs. 12-14).

Paul lived in reality about himself, but never lost sight of the ideal. Like Paul, I want to keep pressin' on toward the ideal, but living in the reality that Christ has made me His own.