Struggle for Perfection

          "Nobody's perfect," people often say, but is that an excuse to let our bad habits worsen?

          Benjamin Franklin kept a list of virtues on a chart. Everytime he sinned, he would put a mark next to the virtue he had not upheld. He paid special attention to a specific virtue every few weeks. Once a week had passed and there were no marks next to that virtue, he would then turn his attention to another one. Benjamin Franklin was not a perfectionist. He was merely trying to better himself. We should all constantly be trying to better ourselves. I know that we will not reach perfection until we reach heaven, but we should still try to live righteous lives. When I was eleven, a girl my age told me, "I'd be a Christian except for those stupid ten commandments." "What do you mean?" I asked. "Those commandments - they take all the fun out of life," she replied. "Following the commandments keeps you out of a lot of trouble... and safe," I said. "You just don't know how fun it is to break those commandments," she retorted. It may be "fun" to her for a short while, but it may also ruin the rest of her life. I never saw her again and hope she has changed her ideas. The commandments set standards for us for follow to help us live righteous life. Now if she thought the Ten Commandments were tough, she should take a look at Benjamin Franklin's list of virtues: Temperance, Silence, Resolution, Order, Frugality, Industry, Justice, Moderation, Sincerety, Cleanliness, Tranquility, Chastity, and Humility.
        There is a reason God does not allow us to reach perfection no matter how hard we try. Pride. If we were perfect, we would all be as prideful as peacocks and see no need for God. We are even prideful at the thought of ourselves being humble! If have learned anything in my short life, it is that I do the best when I think nothing of myself - absolutely nothing. God does not want us to think too much of ourselves or too little. Many people confuse thinking little of themselves, or self-hatred, with humility. Self-hatred is still an obsession with one's self, as is pride.
          Some people see the struggle for perfection as a battle already lost. It is true, at least in this life, but as a pastor I hear once said, "This is no reason for us not to try to be the little Christs we are called to be."