TREASURES FROM GOD'S WORD: Week of December 11 to 17, 2023, “We do not need to be perfect to be complete”, Prepared Speech.

TREASURES FROM GOD'S WORD: December 11-17, 2023, “We do not need to be perfect to be complete,” Prepared Discourse. 

“We don't need to be perfect to be whole” (10 mins.).

Imagine an Archer who is at a shooting range. This Archer, despite his skill and dedication, knows that it is impossible to achieve absolute perfection. In each shot, although he strives for precision, each arrow has small deviations. However, what What distinguishes this Archer is his continuous commitment to improving and learning from his mistakes and above all his love and Passion for the art of archery.

This story reflects the reality of our spiritual life, many times we feel pressured by the idea that we need to be perfect to be complete, that is why Brothers, we will see a Biblical example, which can help us see that to be complete, we do not we need to be perfect. Let's look at his story, I invite you brothers to take your Bibles and please look up Job in chapter 27 and read verses 1 and 2. He says like this...

LET'S READ JOB 27:1,2. 

Job continued with his speech. He said: 2 “As surely as God lives, who has denied me justice, as surely as the Almighty lives, who has made my life bitter.

Let us remember brothers that Job, a man who lived in a time of great spiritual challenge, faced devastating losses and painful illnesses, and as we read in the previous text made the mistake of criticizing God, this could happen to us brothers, that due to the situations of the life we ​​are facing and lose our faith and come to criticize Jehovah, and thus lose our integrity.

To better understand the topic, we are going to analyze the word "Integrity." What does it mean to be complete in the Bible? The Hebrew word translated “Integrity” refers to something complete, whole, or healthy. Jehovah wants us to offer our love and loyalty completely, as a sacrifice without defects. Just as when we buy a fruit, we want it to be whole and healthy, Jehovah wants our love to be complete and complete.

Does this mean, brothers, that we must be perfect to be complete? The answer is a resounding no, Jehovah does not focus on our faults and his generous forgiveness frees us from the burden of perfection.

Furthermore, Jehovah knows our limitations and does not expect more from us than we can give, the key to being whole is love, the love and loyalty we show to Jehovah, they must be complete and cannot be broken by trials and challenges. Love for Jehovah is what drives us to make decisions based on his standards, even when we face difficulties. Just as Job expressed it, let's see his words, let's read brothers, please now Job chapter 27 verse 5 says ……… .. 

LET'S READ JOB 27:5.

I will never say that you are right! Until I die, I will not give up my integrity!

On our spiritual journey let us always remember that integrity does not require perfection, but rather a heart that loves Jehovah above all things. Job, despite his imperfections, remained whole due to his unwavering love and devotion to God. Let us follow his example and learn that integrity goes beyond our mistakes.

We can extract very important lessons from this story. First recognize that integrity is not based on absolute perfection, even those who made mistakes can be considered complete. Job was not perfect, but his heart was in the right direction. This fact teaches us that in our spiritual walk it is natural to make mistakes, but what is crucial is how we respond to them and seek to constantly improve and Jesus himself gave us guidance. Brothers, please look in our Bibles for Matthew chapter 22 and look for verse 37. Matthew chapter 22 verse 37 Jesus gives us clear guidance by saying……….

LET'S READ MATTHEW 22:37.

He answered: “'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'

Here we find the key: integrity lies not in the absence of errors, but in our love and devotion to Jehovah. We do not need to be perfect archers, but rather archers who deeply love their master and are willing to learn and grow in his service. Job's story, despite his mistakes, reflected his integrity in maintaining his love for Jehovah. In our lives we can also stumble, but it is genuine love for God that drives us to get up, rectify our mistakes and continue. going forward.

Furthermore, let us remember that integrity is not a goal that we achieve immediately, but rather a continuous journey. We should not be discouraged by our imperfections, but rather focus on our progress and the love we dedicate to Jehovah. Along the way Job despite his mistakes and the difficulty of understanding his circumstances maintained his integrity, he did not give up his love and loyalty to Jehovah even in the midst of the most difficult trials.

This example teaches us that integrity is a matter of the heart of genuine devotion and not simply of avoiding mistakes. A fundamental lesson is that integrity is manifested in the response to our mistakes. In Job's words we see that despite his initial criticism he strove to correct himself and expressed his trust in Jehovah, integrity is demonstrated when we recognize our faults, seek Divine forgiveness and strive to improve.

Job's story also highlights the importance of not judging the integrity of others based solely on their mistakes. Job's friends made the mistake of condemning them without fully understanding their situation. This warns us about the need to show mercy and understanding toward others. our brothers who can face trials and make mistakes. 

Loving God with all our being is the foundation of our integrity. This love drives us to constantly seek to improve, learn from our mistakes, and grow closer to Jehovah in our daily worship. The bottom line is Clara, we do not need to be perfect to be whole, Jehovah values ​​our sincere effort, our determination to love him with all our hearts, and our willingness to learn and grow in our worship of him. In our corresponding activity guide this week we see a brother lamenting his past mistakes. And later, the same brother feels happy and self-confident. “TO MEDITATE”: Jehovah does not ask us to be perfect. Why does knowing this help us not give up?

Let us remember, dear Brothers, Jehovah generously forgives our imperfections, let us have that forgiveness and generosity to our brothers and sisters, let us aspire to completeness in our love for Jehovah, let us seek ways to express our love in a more complete and sincere way. As a congregation let us continue to be a refuge of love and mutual support, recognizing that we are all imperfect, but that with the love of Jehovah as our guide we can continue to be complete in our service to him and our brothers, understanding that Jehovah does not demand perfection from us is a truth That gives us hope and encouragement on our spiritual path, this knowledge frees us from the overwhelming weight of self-demand, and teaches us valuable lessons that strengthen our faith and help us not to faint in the midst of our imperfections.

We often set unattainable standards for ourselves and when we do not meet them we experience frustration and discouragement. Understanding that Jehovah accepts our best intentions even when we stumble allows us to move forward with gratitude and humility. This truth also offers us a balanced perspective on our spiritual struggles and challenges. We know that we are imperfect and prone to making mistakes, but Jehovah does not judge us alone. for our falls, like a loving father the courage at our disposal to get up.

Learning from our mistakes and striving to improve, understanding this encourages us to persist in our pursuit of spiritual Excellence, without becoming discouraged by our imperfections. We must also be aware that Jehovah does not demand perfection from us, promotes mercy and understanding towards our brothers, this strengthens unity and solidarity in the congregation, creating a refuge where each brother and sister feels supported and understood in their spiritual efforts this TRUE. 

Dear brothers, let us not seek "Perfection" but rather "Excellence", we know that when we make mistakes Jehovah gives us the opportunity to rectify and renew our devotion, repentance becomes a restorative path instead of a closed door, allowing us to move forward with trust in his forgiveness and love. In summary, brothers and sisters, let us follow the example of Job, recognizing that integrity goes beyond perfection, that our love for Jehovah be the lighthouse that guides our worship and that in our imperfection we find the strength to remain complete in his service.