Forget about perfect. It’s not going to happen. Only God is perfect. I suggest we focus on something more attainable like being better. We can start tomorrow because Jesus forgives us for not being perfect today. He loves it when we are better. “The Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory” (Psalm 149:4). One victory God gives humble people is the ability to get better. 

After WWII, an American engineer named W. Edwards Deming helped Japan transform its economy. The Japanese tried rising from the ashes of war by producing low-priced products in inhumane factories with harsh managers. Quality was poor, and “made in Japan” was the punch line for jokes. But Deming made Japan the global leader of reliable products with 14 points of Total Quality Management. Quality was not some inspector’s job at the end of the line. It was everyone’s job during production because everyone was involved in the process of assessment and improvement. Toyotas got a reputation for being better. And that forced other automakers to get better. 

Where in your life would better be really good for you? “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus” (2 Peter 1:5-8).