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Along Life’s Way
Perseverance and Perfection
By Lois E. Wilson
“Per” is defined as “by way of” and “for each.” Those three letters are
at the start of many words in the English language. There is a
relationship between the two “perseverance” and “perfection.”
Perfection is defined as being free from fault, saintly, supreme and
unsurpassable excellence. Perseverance means to persist in spite of
opposition and/or discouragement
Laurence Sterne observed: “Tis known by the name of perseverance in a
good cause—and by obstinacy in a bad one.” William Congreve had this
view: “Ah, Madam . . . you know everything in the world but your
perfections, and you only know not those, because ‘tis the top of
perfection not to know them.” Bishop Joseph Hall wrote: “Perfection is
the child of Time.”
Some people strive all of their lives trying to achieve perfection. It
may be in the academic world, in the arts, athletics, in their careers,
or many other areas of social or scientific endeavors. They have the
characteristic of optimism. Demonstrating pessimism, others claim that
nothing is perfect—so why waste time pursuing the unobtainable?
Whether a creation is perfect or not depends upon the person
experiencing it through vision or use. One sees a beautiful
sunrise and thinks, “That is truly perfection; how could it be more
beautiful?”
The French writer Saint-Exupery believed: “In anything at all,
perfection is finally attained not when there is no longer anything to
add, but when there is no longer anything to take away.”
James 1:2-4 (TNIV) states: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and
sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that
the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance
finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking
anything.”
Perseverance must be paired with perfection to obtain the latter.
Throughout history, it has been those seeking answers to problems and
those creating in the arts who by trial and many failures continued
their search. Perfect solutions were their goals.
Every time we turn on the lamp to illuminate a room, every time we
start the car’s engine, every time the doctor orders a life-saving
procedure, every time we read a book, see a masterpiece, or use our
dishwasher, it is recognition of the work of those who developed these
improvements.
Their accomplishments were “per” by way of and “per” for each of us.
Thank goodness they had the perseverance to continue their pursuits for
perfection. We believe they achieved their goals—and our lives were
made more perfect because of them.
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