Preoccupation with becoming what we think we want to be robs us of being what we are. Too much becoming pushes contentment into the future and condemns us to judge ourselves and others as imperfect. Amid our becoming, who are we being?

Perfectionism is an exhausting pursuit of what we already are. Release perfectionism; embrace perfection. Perfection is not flawless, stagnant, or in the future. Perfection is being exactly what we are in the present. Christ didn’t say, “Become perfect.” He said, “Be perfect.” Embrace present perfection and just be.

Imagine picking a fresh, crisp apple. It’s the perfect shape, the perfect color, the perfect size and the perfect taste. And though it’s perfect, you cut it up and put it into a pie. When it comes out of the oven, it has a different color, a different texture and a different taste, but it’s still perfect.

Apple pie isn’t perfect because it conforms to a predetermined standard. If it was perfect because of its shape, it would no longer be perfect when it was cut and served. If it was perfect because of its sweetness, it would only be perfect to those who liked that amount of sweetness. The apples were perfect when crisp and fresh. In the pie, they’re perfect soft and warm. The apples were always perfect. They were being perfect even while becoming perfect. They weren’t passing through steps of becoming perfect; they were passing through states of being perfect. Perfection is dynamic and in the present. The pie is perfect because we enjoy it.

If you took the pie out of the oven when it was half baked, you might be tempted to think of it as imperfect. The crust would be pale and doughy. The apples might still be crunchy in the center. But that isn’t the standard by which one judges a half-baked pie. Don’t compare a half-baked pie to a fully baked pie. It’s an unfair standard. The pie you took out of the oven is perfect for a half-baked pie.

Perfection is a matter of perspective. As blossoms, would-be apples were perfect to the bees who pollinated them and to those who behold their beauty. When green and sour, they were perfect to the birds and worms. When softening and bruised beneath the tree, they were perfect to the horses who couldn’t reach the branch. And when they’re rotting on the ground, they’re perfect for giving life to a new tree. From the right perspective, they’re always perfect. When the apple understands that, it can live in its perfection in the present.

Every moment we honor our divine nature, we fill the measure of our creation. In that moment, we are perfect. Then we have a new moment and a new perfection. We are being perfect, even as we are becoming perfect.

Be that!

Balance Becoming with Being.