“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’” (2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV)
As we anticipate the celebration of another Independence Day weekend, we find ourselves at a time when there is a movement to fundamentally rewrite our history. Not long ago, America’s Founding Fathers were respected for who they were. Today, their imperfections are likely to be under attack from educators, politicians, and the media. An outcry has developed to remove many statues and monuments around the country that glorify Confederate generals, advocates for slavery, defenders of segregation and others whose racial views or conduct are now widely detested. It’s not only Confederate tributes that have come under attack but also those of Washington, Lincoln and Jefferson, to name a few. It has long been established that at least half of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence were slave owners. Yet through the years, buildings and memorials have been dedicated to honor those who performed extraordinary feats, even though their character was less-than-perfect. The more we focus on the flaws, the less likely we are to recognize the virtues that can be learned from these lives.
These days ‘cancel culture revisionists’ seek to eliminate any remembrance of any person in history who was not perfect as defined by today’s standards. Absolute perfection is a quality that belongs to God alone. No matter how hard we try, we sin by our very nature and will always miss the mark. We commit sins of commission—doing that which we shouldn’t, as well as sins of omission—not doing that which we should. Except for Jesus Christ, every other person who has walked the face of the earth was flawed. God sees and knows our shortcomings, and that is why we need His undeserved gift of grace each day. Our relationship to God, therefore, is not based on our perfection but rather in that of His Son’s. Sinners need a Savior, and that’s why Jesus came. “For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy” (Hebrews 10:14 NIV). When we trust in Him, He will forgive our imperfections and iniquities. We can stop striving for an arbitrary, worldly perfection and rest in the One who is.
Followers of Christ should be encouraged to pursue perfection by maturing in their faith. “So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing” (James 1:4 NLT). The concept of tearing down and building up is repeatedly demonstrated in the scriptures as a model for personal repentance. But when we seek to erase history, be it personal or that of our nation, we risk losing any remembrance of the foundation on which we were built placing us in danger of repeating the same mistakes over and over again. So regardless of how flawed our past may be, we do not want to lose sight of how far we have come. If it is perfection that we seek – better to hold onto the One who was perfect yesterday, is perfect today, and who will also be perfect tomorrow.
REFLECTION: What does our nation’s history mean to you? Why is it important that we continue to honor those who were flawed but rose to represent equal rights and justice? How do you show concern for actions that seek to erase Biblical history and destroy Christian values? How would you serve as a witness to others that it is God’s perfect love that continues to set you free?
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