“Aim for the optimum and not perfection.” Ps Edmund Chan
In our daily work, we must be careful lest we fall into the incessant whirlpool of striving for perfection. We overdo a particular task or overcommit ourselves to a particular work assignment at the expense of others. This leads to a snowballing effect whereby our daily work begin to pile up and we constantly feel overwhelmed and burn out.
The Scripture promotes excellence (Col 3:23; 2 Cor 8:7; 2 Tim 2:15). However we may misunderstand our striving for perfection as the pursuit of excellence. The strive for perfection is often egocentric and self-serving. We seek perfection in order to meet our own standards and please ourselves. Biblical excellence however seeks to please God. Biblical excellence means we seek to give God our best in every work assignment and responsibility He has called us to do at work, home or church community. Biblical excellence is holistic in nature. We can't excel in one assignment at the expense of neglecting others.
To strive for biblical excellence, we should aim for the optimum instead of perfection. Here are some suggested reflection questions that may help us to consider if we are aiming for the optimum:
1. Is it responsible work?
Have I been conscientious in the work assigned to me? Have I given enough time to it? Have I paid close attention to it or have I been procrastinating? Is it a piece of last minute work due to laziness or distractions? In the parable of the talents (Matt 25:14-30), the third servant did nothing to the one talent entrusted to him but buried it in the ground. He was lazy and uncommitted. Rather than multiplying it he merely maintained it. Biblical stewardship expects multiplication and not maintenance. Optimum is not maintenance work. When we aim for the optimum, we aim for progress and growth in the work assigned to us.
2. Is it accurate work?
Is the product accurate in terms of data, language and biblical theology. Does it contain data inconsistencies? Are there information or theological inaccuracies? Does it contain glaring spelling and grammatical mistakes? This is not to say that our work can be completely free of such errors. We will still make mistakes. However optimum is not sloppy work. The product of our work should meet the baselines of language, scientific and theological standards.
3. Is it sufficient work?
Does the product of my work sufficiently meet its objectives and the purposes? Optimum is not slipshod work. It is not submitting a work that is incomplete. We need to be clear from the start what are the main objectives and make sure we meet them fully and wholly
4. Is it necessary work?
Is this piece of work necessary to meet the objectives? Can I use another efficient approach which is less resource intense and still be able to meet the objectives? Optimum is not additional work. We must be careful not to overdo an assignment. Being clear of the objectives will help us discern what work is necessary and what work is supplementary. This is not to say that we cannot spend time to enhance the work that has been sufficiently completed. Feel free to do so when you have the time and resource. Feel free to return to if it energises you and not drain/distract you. The commitment to holistic biblical excellence will help us manage our time and energy, and not spend too much time on what that is unnecessary at the expense of neglecting other work assignments.
Aiming for the optimum will save us from the relentless pursuit of perfection. Aiming for the optimum calls us to be humble and to accept that we are not perfect. Aiming for the optimum will prevent us from spending too much time on one assignment at the expense of neglecting others. Aiming for the optimum turns us away from being self-serving, and to do every piece of work heartily for God and His glory.