Perfect Baby

Bible Reading: Hebrews 10:14–18; 1 Peter 1:13–16

“Hi, honey,” said Mom as Wren came into the house. “How would you like to go to Aunt Melody’s to see the new baby?”

“Yes!” Wren squealed. “I can’t wait to see her.”

At Aunt Melody’s house, Wren held her new cousin. “Oh, she’s so beautiful,” she said. “Nora is just perfect, isn’t she?”

“We think so,” agreed Aunt Melody.

Wren’s forehead wrinkled. “I wish I were perfect. I learned a verse at church that said we should be perfect—James 1:4, which says, ‘Let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.’ So I made up my mind to do that. I did pretty well most of the day, but then I lost my temper.” She sighed. “I tried so hard to last all day, but I didn’t make it. I’ve tried lots of times before too, but I just can’t do it. I give up—I’ll never be perfect!”

Aunt Melody smiled. “Nora can’t walk or talk or eat solid food, yet she’s a perfect newborn infant. But if she stays exactly like this for six months, we’d be worried. In some ways, she wouldn’t be perfect anymore, would she?”

Wren frowned. “I guess not.”

“So when we speak of babies being perfect, we often mean they’re just right for their age,” Aunt Melody continued. “The verse you learned uses the word perfect in a similar way. It’s not saying you’ll never do anything wrong—only Jesus is perfect in that sense. What it’s saying is that as we grow in our relationship with Jesus, we mature spiritually. So to be a ‘perfect’ Christian doesn’t mean we never make mistakes; it means we grow and learn from our mistakes and patiently trust God to continue making us more like Jesus.”

“Right,” said Mom. “If you’re perfect in that sense, it doesn’t mean you’ll never lose your temper, but it does mean you’ll learn to say you’re sorry when you do. It means you’ll learn to depend on God to help you control your behavior when you feel upset.”

The baby wiggled in Wren’s arms and puckered her lips. Aunt Melody laughed. “Better let me have that perfect baby, Wren,” she said. “I think she’s about to lose her temper.” •Barbara J. Westberg

How About You?

Have you wondered how you could possibly be perfect or holy as God is? In one sense, you are already perfect if you know Jesus as your Savior because He’s given you His perfection (see Hebrews 10:14). But God says you are “being made holy.” Each day you become a little more like Jesus as you grow in your relationship with Him. Be patient with yourself and other Christians as you learn and grow together.

Today’s Key Verse:
James 1:4 Let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect [mature] and complete, lacking nothing. (NKJV)

Today’s Key Thought:

Be patient as you grow spiritually