Actually, no, hang on a minute, he is...
Jesus said, "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Matthew 5:48 (NIV) And that was at the end of a whole load of teaching on being pure in thought, scrupulously honest, uncompromisingly generous and militantly forgiving.
Be perfect, though? That's just ludicrous. We're messed up, warped, misled and frequently a bit rubbish. Perfection this side of Heaven is something of a big ask. We can try our best but...
Then again, maybe our understanding of perfection isn't entirely perfect. We aren't supposed to be superheroes, merely the best possible version of ourselves, shaped and strengthened by our flaws, not devoid of them:
There is an elderly woman in the rural church where I grew up who belts out the words of the hymns. Standing at the centre of the small, scattered congregation, her voice carries loud and clear, leading the worship.
Unfortunately, she can't sing.
Not in the slightest.
It isn't quite nails across a blackboard but it's close. Visitors raise their eyebrows in surprise. Passing dogs whimper. But that never stops her. She pours her heart and soul into the words, meaning every single one.
I used to think that she'll have perfect pitch in the next world. Now I'm not so sure. I suspect that God likes her voice exactly the way it is.
In Heaven, the rest of us will simply get to share his perfect appreciation.
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