The Pursuit of Perfection

Last night Sarah and I watched The Last Samurai. It was not the first time we'd seen it, nor was it the first time I'd noticed what I'm going to blog about, but it was a reminder.
Background: In the movie, Tom Cruise plays Captain Nathan Algren, a Civil War hero who has suppressed numerous tribal rebellions of Native Americans and is hired by the Japanese to help them suppress the rebellion of Samurai leader Katsumoto. After the first battle, Algren is taken captive by the Samurai. I use the word captive loosely, considering he is free to roam the village of the Samurai freely, and it is also in the village where Algren finds freedom from his internal chains of captivity.
This is what Algren writes in his journal concerning the Samurai: They are an intriguing people. From the moment they awake, they devote themselves to the perfection of whatever they pursue. I have never seen such discipline. I am surprised to learn that the word "Samurai" means "to serve," and that Katsumoto believes his rebellion to be in the service of the Emperor.
The Samurai Algren comes into contact with pursue perfection in everything they do. There is no mediocrity in their lives, for mediocrity is a disgrace to them. Personally, I tend to be a perfectionist, but still at times I prefer to achieve mediocre things in place of putting in hard work to do the best I can. Maybe it's just me, but it really irks me when I see a person or people doing just enough to get by...just enough to not do badly.
This brings me to my reflection from this. Is my walk with Christ mediocre? Yes, I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior...I'm not going to Hell when I die. That's enough just to get by. But am I pursuing perfection in everything I do? Am I doing all things to the glory of God, as I have been commanded to? Is my performance as a Christian an adequate reflection of the great God that I claim to serve?
Don't get me wrong...I'm not contending for a works-based salvation. I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that nothing I have done or could ever do could earn me a place at the Table of my Master. It is by grace through faith we are saved, don't be misled. However, I do agree with James, who wrote "Someone might say, 'You have faith, but I have deeds.' Show me your faith without doing anything, and I will show you my faith by what I do" (Jas. 2:18).
Another thing, the word "Samurai" means "to serve." You can do things to the best of your ability for an infinite number of reasons, but whom do you serve? Do you pursue things to serve yourself? your family? your friends? your boss? how about your God? The great leader Joshua proclaimed to his people, the Israelites, "Now respect the Lord and serve Him fully and sincerely. Throw away the gods that your ancestors worshiped on the other side of the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord...As for me and my family, we will serve the Lord" (Jos. 24:14,15b). Choose this day whom you will serve.
So, today, as you read this and go about your life, regardless of what you do for a living or what you do for fun, devote yourself to the perfection of whatever you pursue. And as you devote yourself to perfection, do so in service not to Emperor of man like the Samurai, but to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
"As for me and my family, we will serve the Lord."