It’s easy to stumble on Jesus’ command in his Sermon on the Mount:
“Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:58) How can we be commanded to be perfect?
The Greek word we translate as ‘perfect’ is teleios (pronounced tell-ee-oss). It means ‘complete,’ ‘brought to fullness.’ Teleios is being all you are meant to be.
Not all blessings are easy and light. Paul wrote to the Corinthian church “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (2 Corinthians 4:17) Struggles are a blessing because they’re a means to growth, to our teleios.
…
Our real work is work that only we can do.
Read that again: Our real work is work that only we can do.
Our real work is self-ish in this way. Not our low, muddled, miserable selfishness, but our higher self. Our teleios calls us forward.
Let’s be frank — we’re going to do a lot of work which is not our real work. There are things that need doing. No one is above the meanest service. This work shapes our character, too, and is valuable to our families and communities.
You might think, “But many people do something just like what I do.” Yes, but only you are doing it for the people in your sphere of influence. Many people are accountants, nurses, drivers, teachers, managers, etc., but they bring their uniqueness to a unique set of people. Many people write blogs like this one, but there are people reading this blog because it resonates with them.
…
We live in a world rich in signs and meaning. There is a steady stream of signs and insights that we can use — when we’re paying attention. You’re not special; this is true for all of us. These signs are both for us and to shape us to better become what we’re meant to be on behalf of others.
My current hypothesis is that we’ll do better when we pursue whatever our interests are, running down trails that make us curious. The process of exploring has its own virtue. In time we figure out how all the bits come together. It’s very difficult to project the path forward, but looking back we see how all the dots connect.
