Two archers are honing their skills, slinging arrows at the same target. 

One man’s arrow strikes the target near the bullseye, and he feels a sense of satisfaction at coming close to his mark, yet determines to make every effort to bring his next shot even closer. His desire is to master his bow so that his arrows will consistently strike wherever he aims them. 

The second man draws his bow, but his only desire now, is to strike the target at a point closer to the bullseye than the first man. Foremost in his mind is not the improvement of his skills, but the desire to prove himself superior to his fellow. 

The first archer enjoys his craft, and finds fulfillment in its practice and the improvement of his skills. The second archer lives in constant fear that he will fail to outshoot the other. He will complain, blaming his bow, arrows, the wind or anything besides himself. Which archer am I? That depends of course, on whether I am measuring myself against a perfect standard, or competing with others to prove myself superior to them. 

Do I measure myself against the character of Jesus, or am I content just to think of myself as better than the next guy? 

God’s desire for you and me is not perfection, but faithfulness. The first archer knows that not every arrow will find its mark, but he continues to aim deliberately, faithfully, at that mark nonetheless. Jesus is our mark. He said 2,000 years ago: 

It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household!
- Matthew 10:25 

Is it enough for me to become more and more like Jesus? Am I faithful to pursuing the standard he has set for me, or am I aiming only to vaunt myself as better than my fellow man?