I have a tendency to get
ahead of myself sometimes. Do you ever
do that? Sometimes, I get so excited
about a concept or implementing an idea that I dive in, head-first, and skip
important steps or processes that may be necessary to set the stage for what I
want to accomplish. Occasionally, this
personality trait frustrates my wife, Lisa.
Basically, I’ll be in the middle of explaining my thoughts, and as I do,
my enthusiasm for the idea increases. My
brain then goes into overdrive and I fail to finish explaining the current
thought before I move on to the next one.
All I can say is I mean well… (I Love you Lisa).
As I reflect back over my
last post, I realize I shifted into overdrive as I launched the blog. Basically, I was so excited to explain why I
was doing the blog, and get the first post uploaded, I failed to explain why I
chose to call the blog “My Teleios.” So, here’s the reason why...
A few years ago, I was studying
the Sermon on the Mount when I read this passage:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Mt 5:43–48, NIV84)
In
this section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus shares some of the ways in which
he is fulfilling the law and the prophets (see Mt. 5:17-20). Essentially,
he takes a concept that was generally accepted and/or understood and expounds
on it to reveal its full meaning and intent.
In this passage, Jesus is talking about who we should love. He basically takes the common understanding of
the day and flips it upside down to reveal how love should truly be
expressed. After he contrasts several
opposites, he challenges his listeners (and now readers) to be perfect.
WAIT
A MINUTE! Did he just say we were
supposed to be perfect? I thought only
Jesus was capable of perfection. At
least, that’s what I learned in Sunday school.
So who’s right, my Sunday school teacher or Jesus? The answer is both. Jesus is the only one who was capable of
living a perfect life; and we are able to be perfect as well. But how is this
possible? In the words of Paul Harvey,
“And now, the rest of the story.”
The
answer to this mystery is based on how we understand the word perfect. If we define “perfect” as being free from
defect or flaw, then Jesus is absolutely the ONLY ONE who was capable of living
a perfect life. However, if we define
“perfect” as Jesus used it in the passage, then we CAN be perfect. The word Jesus used for perfect is the Greek word teleios. Teleios
is defined as “having attained the end or purpose, complete, perfect” (BAGD, 809). The key here is attaining the end or purpose. In other words,
something/someone is perfect when it fulfills the function to which it/they
were created.
Allow
me to elaborate: When I sit down at my
office computer, my hand automatically moves towards the “mouse.” Because it’s
an ergonomic mouse, my palm rests comfortably over the device and I am able to
move it around my desk without developing carpal tunnel. As I move it, a corresponding cursor moves
around the computer screen. When I press
a button on the mouse, the cursor “clicks” on whatever is underneath, allowing
me to open programs, select files, and even play an occasional game of
solitaire. When I use the mouse in this manner,
it fulfills the function for which it was created and the mouse is, by the
definition of teleios, perfect.
Now,
let’s say I’m using my mouse in such a way that allows it to be teleios perfect. All of a sudden, my
diploma from www.nnu.edu (…shameless
plug…) falls off the wall because the nail it was hanging on fell out. Since
this is an important piece of paper, I immediately get another nail and I take
my mouse and start pounding on the head of the nail. After a few moments, I realize the nail is
not making a hole in the wall, but is, instead, making a hole in my mouse. In this
situation, my mouse is not fulfilling the function for which it was created and
the mouse is NOT perfect.
As
created beings, we can be teleios
perfect when we fulfill the function for which we were created. What is that function? At its most basic level we were created to
love God, love others, and live in Biblical community; but if you pick up the
Bible and start reading any verse, it won’t be long before you will start to
see our function more fully defined as God’s created beings.
My Teleios is simply my
journey towards fulfilling God’s intended function in my life. The good news is that I have chosen to share
that journey with you… aren’t you the lucky one (grin). Seriously though, I count it a privilege and
an honor to share this part of my life with you. May we journey together towards teleios and change the world for Christ
in the process!
Until
next time,
David
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