The Pursuit of Righteousness Over Perfection
By Laura Bailey
"...and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)." - 2 Peter 2: 7-8 NIV
Do you ever struggle with perfectionism? Until recently, I didn't consider myself a perfectionist. I can easily drift off to sleep with dirty dishes in the sink. A glance at my weekend food choices and one can determine I often fall short of a perfect healthy plate. Although I try my best, I can't count how many plants I've killed. (Did you know you needed to water cacti?)
I've accepted that I will not be an all-star at all things, learning to embrace my weaknesses and lean into my strengths. For the most part, I've released the shame of being unable to do it all, be all things to all people, and openly admit that I am struggling or need help in any area. Except when it comes to my faith. Can you relate?
Maybe you sinned and asked God for forgiveness, but you're still hard on yourself even though you know God has extended mercy and grace. Perhaps you skipped a few days of Bible Study, and now that internal critical voice is convincing you that you will never be a committed Christian. Or maybe as you pray, a persistent thought pops into your mind reminding you that you need to do better and attempting to convince you God doesn't even listen to you because you're such a mess. I can't be the only one who struggles with these things, right? Do you relate to the following thoughts?
- There's no way God can use me; I still struggle with sin.
- What's wrong with me? Why can't my faith come as effortlessly as it does for others?
- When will I be able to pray or study my Bible like her? She's such a better Christian than me.
But one day, I came across these verses in 1 Peter 2:7-8, "...and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)—"
Wait, Lot? I obviously misunderstood what these verses were saying about Lot because how, with his past, was he considered a righteous man? Isn't Lot the guy who lived in Sodom and Gomorrah, a town so full of wickedness God sent fire to destroy the town and all the people? Wasn't Lot the one who offered his daughters to a group of men looking to engage in sexual relations? And isn't this the same guy that, even after God provided an escape for his family, went into a cave, got drunk, and committed incest? (Genesis 11-14, & 19)
Yes, this Lot is the same man Peter highlights in our key passage. It's essential to note Peter's words to describe Lot; he doesn't say that Lot was without fault; he was by no means perfect in his faith. Lot chose to stay in a sinful city, but a deeper look at the text reveals Lot was distressed by the wickedness around him. He was a man of God, and his soul was constantly conflicted between serving the Lord and living among such a corrupt group of people.
Lot was given his righteousness or right standing with God on account of Christ, and because this status is accessible for all followers of Christ, we are considered righteous despite our imperfections too. The only way we can be deemed righteous is by the work of Jesus Christ on the cross—his substitutionary payment for our sins, reconciling us to our Holy Father.
Let's release ourselves from the burden of perfection and pursue a deeper relationship with the One who sacrificed so much to make us right with Him.
Intersecting Faith and Life:
Ask the Lord to expose areas where you strive for perfection over righteousness. Prayerfully ask God to help you become more like Him each day as you walk faithfully and obediently in His Word.
Further Reading:
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