By Xuesong, China
Perfection is an ultimate dream of many people, not excepting Aimo. She was talented and knew something about writing lyrics, playing the flute and chess, as well as calligraphy, despite her not being proficient in them. Therefore, she was always praised by the people around her.
When she got to middle school, Aimo made up her mind to stand first on the list in study. Because she was smart and studied very hard, after every exam, she was always number one in her class. However, when she learned that she was merely number three but not number one in the whole school, she felt far from perfect. Because of refusing to be inferior to or under anyone, she began to stay up late at night and devote almost all her efforts to her study. At last, her efforts paid off and she won the laurel—the first place in the school. She then smoothly entered the first senior school of the city.
In this school, the competition was more intense, but even so, she was still admired by some people. As such, she persisted in struggling for her goal …
After graduation, Aimo entered a sales company. In her work, she continued pursuing the perfection of her own. She did the best she could in every segment and brought many profits to the company. Several years later, she became one of the best staff and was appreciated by the leaders and thought highly of by her colleagues. She felt a sense of achievement, living in self-appreciation …
As a saying goes, “Gold can’t be pure and man can’t be perfect,” every person has faults and shortcomings. But the perfectionists are unable to face up to their own shortcomings and even blow them out of proportion. At the same time, however, they will be envious, jealous of or even hate those who are ahead of them or are soon to surpass them.
Several years later, a new employee, Bai Ling came to this company. She looked steadier than Aimo. Although a little inferior to Aimo in literary and eloquence, she was sincerer and less brash and arrogant than Aimo in getting along with others. Bai Ling had ever said that she envied Aimo since she couldn’t compare with her, no matter in education level, age or prospect of developing. However, all of this couldn’t make Aimo feel proud, because she only cared about if her dream of being perfect would keep alive. Seeing Bai Ling gradually gained the appreciation and praise of the leaders and other colleagues for her steadily growing performance, Aimo had a strong sense of crisis for the first time in her life. Then she tried her best and made every effort to compete with Bai Ling. Yet, no matter how hard she worked, she couldn’t surpass her. They two were always equally matched in the company. So, Aimo was full of envy and jealousy of Bai Ling.
Before long, a change of personnel in the company added fuel to the flame of Aimo’s jealousy. Due to business expansion, the company needed a new sales director. Hearing this news, Aimo confidently thought that she would be elected. Yet, much to her disappointment, Bai Ling, who was rich in work experience, was finally elected.
For the first time in her life, Aimo suffered such a blow; the first time she was surpassed by others and the first time she thus got such a strong sense of frustration. After that, Aimo fell into depression and gave up on herself. She resented: Why did I encounter Bai Ling? Why couldn’t I surpass her? Why has she gotten the promotion? Why … She was unwilling to be inferior to others and fell into boundless misery. In pain, she felt as if she were Zhou Yu of the Three Kingdoms period (who was jealous of Zhuge Liang’s ability and tormented himself to death in the end). She should like to exclaim, “O God! Since You made Aimo, why did You make Bai Ling?”
When Aimo, such a perfectionist, found that she was not perfect, she felt so confused and agonized, and didn’t know how to face all of this.
Until one day, by chance, Aimo saw the Creator’s words. They made her feel shocked and find a direction as well.
God’s words say: “People themselves are objects of creation. Can objects of creation achieve omnipotence? Can they achieve perfection? Can they achieve flawlessness? Can they achieve proficiency in everything, come to understand everything, and accomplish everything? They cannot, right? However, within humans, there is a weakness. As soon as they learn a skill or profession, people feel that they are capable: ‘I’m someone with status, a person of worth; a professional.’ No matter how capable or incapable they might be, before this even comes to light, they want to package themselves up and disguise themselves as important figures, and become perfect and flawless, without any defects. They just want to arm themselves so that in the eyes of others they will become great, powerful, fully capable, and without anything they cannot do; they wish to appear incapable of nothing. … Are these goals that people should be pursuing? (No.) Then what are they? (Satan’s path; they represent the pursuit of becoming the archangel.) Is there even one word in all of the truth that tells you to be such a person? (No.)”
God’s words woke Aimo up: It turns out that perfection is not the goal man should pursue, but man’s ambition and desire, as well as the toxin that Satan implants in people. It’s disgraceful, the same as what the archangel pursued. We are just a small created being in the hand of the Creator, with limited thoughts and limited ability, and not capable of everything, how could we be perfect? The so-called pursuit of being perfect, being outstanding and being above others, are all the wrong viewpoints Satan instills in us, which are overtaken by our arrogant disposition. Our vain attempt to surpass all things and all people only will leave us endless suffering and helplessness. At that moment, Aimo saw the light: So the root of my suffering was that my goal in life was wrong. When I gained what I wanted, I tried to gain more. Such pursuit was like a bottomless pit, which would never be filled. If I had heard the voice of the Creator earlier and made certain of my own identity and status, I would not have had so much suffering and embarrassment. At that time, Aimo finally realized that how pitiable and horrible pursuing perfection was.
Think about people in all walks of life, aren’t all of them the same? Everyone pursues perfection and wants to be an extraordinary person. For example, some supporting actresses want to be heroines, and after they become the second female, then they have desires for the lead female—they wouldn’t give up until they achieve their goal. Aren’t their goals pursuing perfection? For the sake of such perfection, they spend their energy, youth and painstaking effort, and some of them even lose their personal dignity. Also, some handsome women who are dissatisfied with to their features have cosmetic surgery again and again. Yet, things don’t turn out how they want: Some of them are disfigured and some even lose their lives. Aren’t these the price for pursuing perfection? It’s too terrible. And yet people’s ambition and desire are more horrible. At that time, Aimo gave a sigh of relief. She felt very lucky that she eventually found out the root of the problem which had bothered her for years.
Aimo read more of God’s words: “As one of the creatures, man must keep his own position, and behave conscientiously, and dutifully guard that which is entrusted to him by the Creator. And man must not act out of line, or do things beyond his range of ability or do things that are loathsome to God. Man must not try to be great, or exceptional, or above others…. What is commendable, and what the creatures should hold to more than anything else, is to become a true creature; this is the only goal that all people should pursue.” “You must learn how to walk, and how to walk steadily, one step at a time. If you can walk, then walk; do not try to learn how to run. If you can walk one step at a time, then do not try to take two steps at a time. You must be a person with your feet firmly on the ground. Do not try to be superhuman, great, or lofty.” Aimo felt relieved. She finally found the goal she should pursue setting aside pride and status, not pursuing to be great and famous; or be admired by others, and not showing off before others. Rather, she should be down-to-earth, try her best to do what she should do, and fulfill her duty—this is enough. Only through living this way can she be free and relieved.
