Perhaps the best part about being accepted by Jesus just as we are, is we can give up the pretense of perfection.  We do not have to be some paragon of virtue as a condition or proof that we belong to Jesus.  Of course, some take that to extremes and that too – is bad.  If there is any “proof” that we are Christians it is because we are better.

Not better than non-Christians, or better than the people who go to THAT church.  We are not the BEST.  We are not the best people, or the best church.  I have no intention of being the best church in Elko.  Trying to be best is confirmation that we have not come very far in Christ.  Frankly I no longer have time to be the best, I am too busy getting better.  Better than I was before – last decade, last year, last month, yesterday.  I am in competition with myself.  I want to be better than I am, not better than you.

It is enough for me to try to be better than I am.  Too often I fail at that.  Sometimes I allow who I was to determine how I act right now.  I get discouraged sometimes and wonder if I will ever change, and I want to give up.  It is at those times Jesus will step in a lend us a hand, much like when He reached down and picked Peter out of the water.  Or we will meet Him on the beach as He reminds us that He has changed us and we should stop trying to be who we were and instead focus on who we are to become.