11/20/2025
“Not that I have already attained or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.”~Philippians 3:12
Anyone who has ever owned or trained a Bird Dog realizes the work is never-ending. There is always something more which can be refined or perfected as we stive towards our goal of the “perfect” Bird Dog.
When it comes to our Bird Dogs, the term “perfect” is pretty subjective. Some define it as a dog which has the ultimate level of steadiness and poise in the field while others find perfection in a dog which finds and breaks as soon as the bird leaves the ground. The idea of “perfect” is different for every person.
As Christians, however, this isn’t the case. We have been given a “Rules & Aims” book called the Bible, which clearly outlines what perfect looks like. Unlike the judgement at a Field Trial, Hunt Test, or annual hunt, the “perfect” detailed in Scripture is unchanged by our personal preferences. As the ultimate judge, Christ sets the example we are to follow.
Perfection in any realm is a fleeting goal. Especially when it comes to attempting to match the perfection of Jesus Christ, but that doesn’t mean we should give up or stop trying. Similar to the way we continue to push our dogs towards the unachievable, we should continue to strive for Christ’s perfection, all-the-while being thankful for our Savior who died for our shortcomings.
Christ’s death on the cross doesn’t give us a free pass to give up; it calls us to continually strive to live as He did, all the while acknowledging that He died to atone for our inability to achieve His perfection.
