Perfect Imperfection

A lot of people like to flaunt their perfection about certain aspects of life. Pitchers who throw a perfect game (27 batters up, 27 batters down, no hits, no walks, no hit batters) are rare but esteemed men of baseball. This time of year CPAs and tax preparers all boast perfect records in hopes of gaining our business. It doesn’t take much looking to find some one flaunting their perfection in some field of expertise.

I am only human and I too have a field of expertise. I beg your pardon but I am going scream it: I AM PERFECT AT BEING IMPERFECT! It’s true. Autograph hounds prepare for the perfect imperfect card with my face and a fancy scribble that I call my signature. It’s coming to a collector’s shop near you!

The problem with perfection is that it requires a ongoing commitment to maintain. Do you think those supermodels with perfect bodies get that way by accident or by genetics alone? A little surgery here and there combined with highly paid well sought after nutritionists and trainers help make those naturally beautiful people...well...perfect. Perfect for magazine covers, designer clothes and Super Bowl commercials. Perfection is hard work and being perfectly imperfect is no exception.

For example. I could come home from work on most days, kiss my wife, tell her details about my day (you know how most men are about daily details!) and then listen for 30 minutes while she tells me about hers. Perfection would then require me to finish the dishes, set the table and wrestle with the kids while mom completes the meal. I would arise from the wrestling ring (aka: living room floor), wash up with the kids, and sit down to a perfectly calm meal where food is not seen as a projectile and where conversation revolves around a loving family, each member caring exclusively for the others.

I could.

But I am perfectly imperfect and in order to keep this one perfection in my life thriving, I work hard. Instead, when I come home, I kiss my wife and then check personal e-mail. I usually throw the kids around for a few minutes, but rarely set the table. I like to check sports scores for day games and then flip through the mail while my wife hollers from the kitchen something about dinner being ready and if I want to see my kids alive again I should probably help them wash their hands etc... etc...

You have to know my wife though, she is of the understanding type and she knows perfection isn’t easy, no matter how easy I may make it look!

Of course, my wife is VERY understanding but not of my particular perfection. Rather, she understands that I am actually trying to digress in this only perfection of my life and move on to imperfect imperfection.

It’s really not unlike owning a home. If you have the privilege of home ownership you know the blessing/curse I speak of. There are always projects staring you down and lists of things that need to be done, should be done, and if you don’t want to sleep on the couch for another night -- better be done (by Saturday!). No matter how many of those things you accomplish however, there are always more of those things waiting. I guess I am my wife’s house. A lot of imperfect traits, incomplete projects and needed ongoing maintenance but she loves me still and still keeps investing even after 10 years of nearly perfect imperfection.

I am thankful my wife loves me through my imperfections, but even more thankful my God loves me through my imperfections. Some of my favorite words in the Bible are about God’s unconditional concern for HIS imperfect children. Make no mistake, God is the perfect Father who doesn’t excuse or ignore imperfection, rather, HE uses imperfection as a teaching tool that leads us towards HIM.

Today I will work on my marital imperfections and maybe by tomorrow I will be just a little less imperfect than I am today. Maybe in a few years I will even figure a few things out and make giant steps towards my goal of being imperfectly imperfect. But as I go, my perfect God will give perfect assistance to this ever imperfect child.

And that’s a perfectly nice way to end between the sermons.