Wanting Less

In my recent struggles and discussions with friends about those struggles, one Christian friend advised that perhaps Christ-like forgiveness is not in our ability. That's for perfect people like Jesus, and we are less than Jesus, and therefore, capable of only less.

There's a quote for this, and I'll find it. But here's another to tide you until I find the right quote.

"I find a good many people have been bothered by...Our Lord's words, 'Be ye perfect.' Some people seem to think this means 'Unless you are perfect, I will not help you'; and as we cannot be perfect then, if He meant that, our position is hopeless. But I do not think He did mean that. I think He meant 'The only help I will give is help to become perfect. You may want something less: but I will give you nothing less.'

Let me explain. When I was a child I often had toothache, and I knew that if I went to my mother she would give me something which would deaden the pain for that night and let me get to sleep. But I did not go to my mother - at least, not unil the pain became very bad.

And the reason I did not go was this. I did not doubt she would give me the aspirin; but I knew she would also do something else. I knew she would take me to the dentist next morning.

I could not get what I wanted out of her without getting something more, which I did not want. I wanted immediate relief from pain: but I could not get it without having my teeth set permanently right.

And I know those dentists: I knew they started fiddling about with all sorts of other teeth which had not yet begun to ache. They would not let sleeping dogs lie, if you gave them an inch they took a mile.

Now, if I may put it that way, Our Lord is like the dentists. If you give him an inch, He will take a mile. Dozens of people go to Him to be cured of some one particular sin which they are ashamed of (like masturbation or physical cowardice) or which is obviously spoiling daily life (like bad temper or drunkenness). Well, He will cure it all right: but He will not stop there. That may be all you asked; but if once you call Him in, He will give you the full treatment. "

-C.S. Lewis, "Mere Christianity"