Self-Mastery – Be You Perfect 

Self-mastery is a central aspect of spiritual growth and personal transformation. It is the active control and guidance of one’s thoughts, actions, and desires toward alignment with divine values. True self-mastery is not about rigid self-denial but is instead characterized by an evolving relationship with the indwelling Spirit of God, who guides individuals toward their highest spiritual potential. This process involves recognizing and embracing the spiritual principles of love, truth, and goodness, which naturally lead to greater personal freedom and peace.

Self-mastery is cultivated through the consistent practice of self-discipline and the conscious choice to overcome lower, selfish impulses in favor of nobler ideals. This includes the courage to face and transform negative emotions, selfish desires, and reactions rooted in pride or fear. Such mastery is progressive and involves small, daily decisions to choose faith over doubt, patience over impatience, and love over resentment. By developing self-mastery, individuals draw closer to their true selves and the divine purpose embedded within them.

Additionally, self-mastery is a pathway to genuine service and fellowship. When one attains a degree of mastery over self-centered impulses, the capacity to love others more fully and to serve without expectation grows stronger. This balanced mastery is not just personal but also social and spiritual; it enhances relationships and helps fulfill one's role in the greater cosmic family. Through such mastery, a person becomes more aligned with divine will and a more effective and compassionate influence in the lives of others, embodying a love that resonates beyond personal limitations and aligns with universal harmony.

Jesus exemplified the highest form of self-mastery through his unwavering alignment with the will of God in every phase of his life. His journey from infancy to adulthood involved profound growth and learning, marked by many challenges that tested his resolve. He navigated these experiences with remarkable spiritual clarity, always choosing love, truth, and service over self-centered motives. His life demonstrated that true self-mastery is not about repressing desires but elevating one's motivations to reflect divine love. In every situation, whether joyful or sorrowful, Jesus showed mastery over his emotions and desires, staying grounded in his divine purpose and expressing the Father’s love in all he did.

Jesus taught that self-mastery is achieved by surrendering to the inner guidance of the indwelling spirit, which gradually transforms selfish impulses into selfless love. He declared that those who are "born of the spirit" live joyously, liberated from the burdens of self-denial and constant vigilance over worldly desires. For Jesus, self-mastery meant living naturally in alignment with divine will, which spontaneously yields the "fruits of the spirit" – qualities like kindness, patience, gentleness, and faithfulness. This harmony with the spirit allows us to experience life’s fullness and embrace our higher purpose, as exemplified by Jesus’s life of love and service.

Jesus taught that many times, people blame their bad choices on "the evil one", instead of the real cause, which is their own foolish fears, enslaving pleasures, malice, envy, and even vengeful hatred.

Anyone who knows they are God’s children is "born of the spirit" and is always a master of the self and all that pertains to the desires of the flesh. We become filled with God’s heavenly peace using the exalted privilege to cleanse ourselves from all evils of mind and body while we seek perfection in the love of God.

Do not give way to fear. Do not doubt the love and mercy of the heavenly Father. The secret of the mastery of self is bound up with our faith in the indwelling spirit, which works through love.

Jesus is the shining inspiration for living. Even though a person cannot attain his perfection of character, one can see his amazing balance.

Each of the twelve apostles loved Jesus for different reasons. Andrew admired Jesus because of his consistent sincerity and his unaffected dignity. Simon Peter revered Jesus for his tenderness, forbearance, and patience. James Zebedee admired Jesus for his sympathetic affection and understanding interest in the small and the great, the rich and the poor. John Zebedee appreciated Jesus’ love and unselfishness. Phillip most revered Jesus for his unfailing generosity. Nathaniel most revered Jesus for his tolerance. Matthew most appreciated Jesus’ forgiving disposition. James Alpheus especially loved Jesus because of the Master’s simplicity. Judas Alpheus revered Jesus’ unostentatious humility linked with such personal dignity. Simon Zelotes admired Jesus’ calmness, assurance, poise, and inexplicable composure. Judas Iscariot admired the generally attractive and exquisitely charming personality of the Master.

However, Thomas enjoyed the highest intellectual understanding and personality appreciation of Jesus of any of the twelve. He revered Jesus for his superbly balanced character. He admired him for being lovingly merciful yet so inflexibly just and fair; so firm but never obstinate; so calm but never indifferent; so helpful and so sympathetic but never meddlesome or dictatorial; so strong but at the same time so gentle; so positive but never rough or rude; so tender but never vacillating; so pure and innocent but at the same time so virile, aggressive, and forceful; so truly courageous but never rash or foolhardy; such a lover of nature but free from all tendency to revere nature; humorous and playful, but free from levity and frivolity. In sum, it was his matchless symmetry of personality that so charmed Matthew.

Jesus was the perfected specimen of human self-control and exhibited the highest earthly attainment of true self-mastery.