Trapped in Utopia

"Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

Utopia is the idealized place or situation of perfection. Recently my husband and a few of his friends took a 270 mile round-trip motorcycle ride. On their way home they detoured and found themselves in a small town called Utopia. They were trapped there while waiting on a parade occupying the only route through town.

As he related these events to me, I was reminded of God’s Word in Matthew 5:48. Jesus was giving his "Sermon on the Mount." He was talking about loving our enemies. He was describing how even the non-believer is able to love those who love him. But to be like the Father we must do more than that. We must pray for our enemies and love those who do not love us. In this we must be "perfect."

Have you ever felt trapped in that idealized situation? Have you wanted to not love someone who had been unlovely to you? Unlike the dictionary definition of Utopia, God’s love is not an idealized perfection. It is perfect. His Word does not make a request to be perfect if we want to or if we feel like it. It is a command. "Be perfect." I can’t you might say. You are correct I would respond. But God never requires of you something that He is not able to accomplish in and through you.

Only when we believe in the Christ of John 3:16 are we made perfect as God the Father sees us through the blood of His One and Only Begotten Son. Only then does the idealized perfection called Utopia become less attractive as the reality of the love of God covers us. Only then will our love abound to the glory and praise of God (Philippians 1:9-11.)

Give your heart completely to Christ. Live in the reality of God’s love. Then you will be much less likely to become trapped in Utopia.

L. Joyce Powell

© 10/29/07