Schools and workplaces can be highly competitive environments. At a competitive school, everyone is trying to get the A or the A+, trying to stay on top of all the work, trying to play sports and do extra-curriculars and have friends and please teachers and stay healthy and sane and have fun at the same time. At a competitive workplace, everyone is trying to be an important contributor, a reliable employee and colleague, to stay on top of all the work and be well-liked by bosses, peers, and clients. To survive, it feels like you have to be perfect.

Because of this pressure, people often remind each other, "It's OK not to be perfect." "It's OK to make mistakes." "Just be yourself." Often, I think it's important and helpful to people to be told this.

And then Jesus comes along, and he is supposed to be this really understanding teacher and mentor, and he says, "You must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."