Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
Brothers, I do not consider my self yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained.
Character Check Where is my drive to be perfect steering me wrong?
In Business Terms Progress is more important than perfectionism. Sometimes I invite leaders to do this exercise: “During the coming week, drive out near the middle of Nowhere. Pull your car over to the side of the road and have a last, pleasant conversation with that old, old friend, Compulsive Perfectionism. Then open the door of the car, shove gently, quickly close the door, and drive rapidly down the road.
“In about a mile, you will find three new friends-eager, smiling, hoping to be picked up. These three good friends are Progress, Pace, and Prayer. Fill your car-fill your life-with those three.”
Effective leadership begins with the confidence that hope is stronger than memory, the open tomb stronger than the bloodied cross, the risen Lord stronger than the dead Jesus, Easter stronger than Good Friday, resurrection stronger than crucifixion.
—Kennon Callahan
Something to Think About Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly. – G. K. Chesterton
