Perfected Obedience

Just like a gardener watching her garden bloom and her trees bear fruit. Or just like a shepherd leaving the 99 and seeking out the one lost sheep. He exalts in jubilation when he hears the cry of help from the lost sheep. What about the joy of a parent seeing one’s children come home? Just like that popular story of a father seeing his wayward son come home. He jumps with joy and runs toward his son whom he sees from a distance. God’s joy is made complete when we surrender our selves to Him in all His perfection and love.

Allow me to share a real life story—the experience of watching a small child take his or her first few steps. Now, if the child falters and falls, we do not say: “The child is a failure” or express some other discouraging words. We encourage the child and cheer on the whole family. The important thing is that the parents are rejoicing with the child learning how to walk for the first time. The first few steps may not be perfect, in the eyes of the adults, but they are enough for the parents to celebrate. They are perfect in a sense that the child’s attempt to walk completes the joy of the parents. Perfection is in the side of the parents.

In the same way, our feeble attempts to love our enemies may not be perfect. But if we surrender them all to our Heavenly Father, and draw strength from God’s perfect character, then we can be hopeful and receive some encouragement. Our obedience to God’s command to love our enemies (and our neighbors and all our friends), this life of obedience will become perfect in God’s eyes. God finds joy in watching His children obey Him. Simple acts of obedience celebrate God’s perfection. Little expressions of surrender complete the heart of God.