The perfect knife

Brad Lilly

Moderator and Awards Boss
[h=1]Matthew 5:48New International Version (NIV)

48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Philippians 3:13New International Version (NIV)

13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on[FONT=Helvetica Neue, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif][/FONT] toward the goal to win the prize[FONT=Helvetica Neue, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif][/FONT] for which God has called[FONT=Helvetica Neue, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif][/FONT] me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

[FONT=Helvetica Neue, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]In Matthew we are called to be perfect (How is everybody doing on that?) That is quite a tall order flawless and perfect. When your perfect you don't make mistakes and I make alot. [/FONT]

[FONT=Helvetica Neue, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Tonight it finally hit me how spiritual knifemaking can be (Work with me on this). I think these two passages clearly call us to strive for something we can never reach. This can be depressing when you try to measure up to something like perfection. Likewise if put one of my knives on a table beside an accomplished knifemaker from knifedogs they will look horrible, flawed and unworthy to share the same space. Once we start measuring ourselves up against our neighbor we can quickly come up short. However the ruler we need to use is ourselves. Instead of holding a knife I made today up to something beyond my skill, I measure them up against the knife I made before. Similar to life some days are better than others but I should be trying to be a better Christian, husband, father than the day before.
Even knifemaking we are called to strive for perfection
Colossians 3:23-24

[/FONT]23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.[/h]
 
Thanks, I have been having a problem looking at most of your knives thinking mine look like crap. But if I compare each to the last I see they are getting better. I just started this adventure so it makes sense that I do not even comprehend the level of some of your work. I guess it is like a daily walk of faith. I bet the other newbies are feeling the same way about their first knives.

Dan
 
I am never fully happy with my work, I can always tell you where every mistake is (or at least the ones I know of, I am sure there are others) But like you said every knife I make is a litter better than the last and I am sure even after 20 years go by I will still be learning and improving on everything. Can you imagine the skill that some of the early people would of had, living to be hundreds of years old? I am of the mindset that there were much more impressive things in the early years of the world.
 
"Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without." - Confucius

... I don’t think you are understanding Jesus’s commandment to “BE” perfect correctly. “Be perfect” means right now. It’s not the same as continually striving for perfection and never attaining it. The commandment is to recognize, REALIZE and become fully aware, that The Holy Spirit lives inside you, right now!,… and That part of You, which is your Spirit and to Whom you belong, is already Perfect. Jesus considered this “easy”, and it is. :)

However, we should continually strive for quality, excellence and value in the things we do, and to keep learning,... which is quite different from divine perfection.

Perfection is not the same as quality and value.

As spiritual craftspeople, we should try to tap into that which is Perfect, already inside us,... and let it express Itself through us, our hands and eyes. If we surrender to It, and keep trying, everything else will fall into place. Perfection and beauty are not just skin deep and though things may not always appear perfect superficially, to us, we can trust God that in some ways, deep down,... in mysterious ways, they already are. :)
 
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"Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without." - Confucius

... I don’t think you are understanding Jesus’s commandment to “BE” perfect correctly. “Be perfect” means right now. It’s not the same as continually striving for perfection and never attaining it. The commandment is to recognize, REALIZE and become fully aware, that The Holy Spirit lives inside you, right now!,… and That part of You, which is your Spirit and to Whom you belong, is already Perfect. Jesus considered this “easy”, and it is. :)

However, we should continually strive for quality, excellence and value in the things we do, and to keep learning,... which is quite different from divine perfection.

Perfection is not the same as quality and value.

As spiritual craftspeople, we should try to tap into that which is Perfect, already inside us,... and let it express Itself through us, our hands and eyes. If we surrender to It, and keep trying, everything else will fall into place. Perfection and beauty are not just skin deep and though things may not always appear perfect superficially, to us, we can trust God that in some ways, deep down,... in mysterious ways, they already are. :)
Amen Tai...:)
'For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified' Heb.10:14
 
... sometimes we have to look past the flaws to see the perfection.

I think they call this LOVE.

Whatever it is, do it out of LOVE,... or don't do it at all.
 
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Perfection as it applies to knifemaking means flawless. Biblical perfection means to be complete or mature in Christ. Christ wants us to be mature, complete Christians. He will not judge us on how flawless our knives are. Strive for perfection in your knifemaking but,more importantly,strive for biblical perfection by reading and studying the Bible,do it daily,make it a lifetime pursuit,love it,live by it!
 
The misery of perfectionism loves company...

Why being a perfectionist may not be so perfect:
http://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/why-being-a-perfectionist-may-not-be-so-perfect.html
"as ironic as it might sound, perfectionism at it's extreme prevents us from being our best."

Pitfalls of perfectionism:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200802/pitfalls-perfectionism
"Perfectionism may be the ultimate self-defeating behavior. It turns people into slaves of success—but keeps them focused on failure, dooming them to a lifetime of doubt and depression. It also winds up undermining achievement in the modern world"

The dark side of perfectionism:
http://www.livescience.com/6724-dark-side-perfectionism-revealed.html
"studies show the personality trait of perfectionism is linked to poor physical health and an increased risk of death."

Perfection is the enemy of progress:
http://www.justinlloyd.org/268-perfection-is-the-enemy-of-progress/

Expression transcends perfection.

If we become overly obsessed and fixated on the flaws and the flaws are all we can see,... we overlook the perfection and beauty that is already there. We become blinded to all that is good.

"Human perfection" is the enemy of good.

"Divine perfection" does not exist apart from God, and it is beyond words. The only divine perfection we will ever know is of the Spirit.

"For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”- Jesus, Matthew 11:30

Be like a child, be innocent, be opened,... be free! :)


 
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Perfection as it applies to knifemaking means flawless. Biblical perfection means to be complete or mature in Christ. Christ wants us to be mature, complete Christians. He will not judge us on how flawless our knives are. Strive for perfection in your knifemaking but,more importantly,strive for biblical perfection by reading and studying the Bible,do it daily,make it a lifetime pursuit,love it,live by it!

O.K. So, let's take a look at what the bible and Christian scholars say about perfectionism... "striving for perfection".

Here's just a few examples, but there is an enormous "united Christian front" against the teaching of perfectionism. I wish the Christian Knifedogs would get on board, and help put and end to this disease. If not for ourselves, then for future generations of knifemakers and all God's children... Only out of Love.

http://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-perfectionism.html
"To put it bluntly, perfectionism is a hoax."

http://www.christianitytoday.com/biblestudies/articles/spiritualformation/driveforperfection.html
"Perfectionism is an indicator that I am more concerned about me than I am about anyone else. While I can rationalize that striving for perfection is merely wanting things to be nice for those around me, that's a smokescreen. It's all about me."

http://www.christianpost.com/news/the-pitfall-of-perfectionism-50843/
"Perfectionism (or performancism) is a horrible disease. It comes from the pit of hell, smelling like rotting flesh."

... Just the tip of the iceberg,... well worth further study.

“Striving for perfection” is anti-biblical and anti-Christian. Amen!​
 
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I must decrease so He can increase.......

Amen Ray!

The ego vs., the Divine.

Sweet surrender.... That's as good as it gets and the best we can do. :)

..."Biblical perfection" and the "Perfect knife"!

Sweet dreams big buddy. :)
 
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“Striving for perfection” has become such a common cliché, it often gets thrown around without really thinking it through. Often times there is no harm meant, and I believe that’s how it was used in this thread. However, we should see now the dangers of perfectionism.

On the other hand, there are those who want to intentionally spread this disease to as many as they can. Misery loves company. We see this a lot in knifemaking. They set unattainable unrealistic goals for themselves based on fabricated human ideals,… become miserable because they can’t live up to their own standards and then they try to impose their impossibly high standards on everyone else. As this process continues, they will eventually attack anyone who does not hold their same egocentric perfectionist attitudes, ideals and methods. They will try to make anyone who is different feel inadequate and inferior by putting on a phony and false front of perfection. It undermines progress and the achievements of others.

They are experts at creating a false illusion of perfection. This is how they spread the disease….

When ever I hear things like, “I’m striving for perfection, trying to make each knife better than the last and shooting for "100% correctness" in every aspect of knife making”, warning lights start flashing. Not only is it ludicrous and dangerous, it is also misleading marketing hype and huckstery.
 
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There is a link from Tai, which leads to a statement that says: Perfection at its extreme prevents us from being our best.....very interesting statement!
Besides I also think the creation of God is not perfect, please do not take me wrong ,without Gods creation there would be nothing, but there are so many nature irritations which make no sense, that it is hard, at least for me, thinking nature is perfect.
Perfection is something that does not exist.It is a man made concept. The world dont need perfection, that is what God already knew before He created everything.
well, that is just my personal playing with thoughts..but I have to admit it is possible that I just dont understand anything at all.

I never thought when working on my knives to strive for perfection,...just look at our skills to draw free handed a circle or an oval how far we are away from even coming close to symetry or evenness.....nobody can do this ...ok, I never met, seen or heard of somebody who can do this....
so thinking to be perfect in three dimensions seems ridiculous....
my perfect result on my work is, do it better then before or as good as before, that is enough for making me happy and that keeps my flame burning.
struggling with my natural hand skills made me actually not see the knife.today after I finish a knife I put it away as long as I am only able to see the effort, the difficulties, the mistakes and not the actual knife.
if we remain humble, than we come very close to "perfection" when it comes to behaviors and goals.
that is very difficult to do better.......
 
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Perfectionism really does prevent us from doing and being our best.

Perfectionists avoid taking risks. They only do things that they think they can do “perfectly“ (or good enough to fool their audience). They procrastinate, waste time,... they cater to and follow mainstream thinking and thus are no good at innovation and progressive thinking. They are great with details, but can’t see the big picture. They are more concerned about what people think of them, popular opinion, than what they think of themselves,… or what God thinks. They "selfishly/egotistically", have no mind of their own, and hide from the truth within. They wish to create a false façade of themselves for personal gain. They selfishly have no faith in themselves. They suffer from “fear of failure”, and thus never find the courage to think outside the box. They are driven by fear and guilt. They have tunnel vision…

It is a very sorry physiological and spiritual state for anyone to be in. It is anti-progress.

In order to progress, we really need the courage to move forward, make mistakes and learn from them, … try new things, change, grow and express who we are, what makes us special and different from anyone else. Progress has more to do with honesty and sincerity than perfection. Perfection is a static state, with no room for improvement. Perfection is boring...

Personal growth and reaching our full potential comes from inside and is from the voice of The Spirit speaking to our brains, from our hearts. Listen to the voice coming from your heart! Learn to understand it's language and it's wisdom.

The Spirit is saying, “Forget being "perfect" (by man's standards). Be your best! Be yourself! Be who God made you to be and wants you to be!”.

If we stumble and fall, then we just pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and keep moving forward,... onward, on the path closer and closer to the Creator. Two steps forward and one step back is O.K. It may not be perfect, but we've still made progress. We are headed in the right direction and we just keep going...

Brothers and sisters in the Lord,... The Holy Spirit is saying, “You are already, *born of The Spirit, perfect*,... PERFECT"! ... Now go create! Go do something with it!.

Don't strive! Employ effortless effort! Surrender. :)
 
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Jesus taught about "perfectionists". This is the perfect knife...

Matthew 23 King James Version (KJV)

23 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
2 Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:
3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.
15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
16 Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!
17 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
18 And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.
19 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?
20 Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.
21 And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.
22 And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.
23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.
25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.
28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,
30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.
33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:
35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
 
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Yeah, in Matthew 5-7 Jesus is teaching about inward righteousness instead of external (showy) righteousness. "Except your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees you shall not enter the kingdom..." You could link every part of the sermon to that statement. That's how I've always taken his command to be "perfect." I don't think its without sinful flaw it's real dedication to God and expressing the same kind of Divine Nature when dealing with people problems. Good reminder to think about myself, too. I'm glad I found this thread.
 
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