Benjamin Franklin once decided to become morally perfect. He chose 13 qualities he felt embodied moral perfection and tried to perfect one a week - at the end of 13 weeks he would be morally perfect. He failed, yet later wrote he had become a much better man for trying and failing than if he had never tried at all. Our situation with the Lord is similar. We will never become morally perfect, as Paul writes, but we can experience maturation as we grow into the image of Christ.

I promised the Lord to work to be morally perfect but this; I found was hard to accomplish.

I will give to the poor, be more like Christ, at least that was my deepest wish.

I found that I angered too quickly and many times saw people in need of aid

But I was in a hurry and passed them by with no such  ever attempt made.

I said to myself, “Give to others with little shows of kindness

But somehow would pass them by in my horrible blindness.

I found little kindnesses to appease my guilt but they were more for me than he.

Although I occasionally found ways to be kind, I realized they did not easily come to be.

I looked to the Lord for answers to my selfish way of giving.

He said, “My Child, perfection comes with a lifetime of living.

Work each day to follow my way and I will take your failures to the Cross.

You live for me and know my forgiveness and your life will not be a Spiritual loss.