3:191 – Being Perfect Isn’t Required

#faithbites #faithjourney perfect

Setting

Today, my kids and I were recording a lesson for our online Vacation Bible School. Let’s just say, it was far from perfect. Kids messing around, switching up words, and being a bit antsy. I did a few edits and realized, it was good enough. The point was to share the message of Jesus’ death and resurrection and I think we hit the mark.

Tonight, I was going to make fried chicken for dinner. Then I realized I didn’t have enough oil to do it. I improvised and made baked fried chicken. It wasn’t perfect but it was edible and everyone ate. Mission accomplished.

Nothing we do is perfect. We are so far from it, that we can’t even see it and that’s ok. God loves us no matter who we are and how imperfect we are. Thanks to Jesus, we are forgiven and reconnected with the father.

If God doesn’t expect us to be perfect, why do we?

Scripture

• Ecclesiastes 7:20 – Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
• Romans 3:23 – For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
• Mark 10:18 – And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.

Reflection

If Jesus questions being called good, why do we accept it? Good could be equated with perfect. No one is perfect except for God. Even Jesus was made less than perfect by taking on our sins. We all fall very short of the perfection that is God and near perfection of Christ.

We are often harder on ourselves than God is. When I help faculty create video lessons, I tell them they don’t need the “Hollywood Blockbuster Experience”, good enough is good enough. If the message gets across, that is what matters.

When we serve God, when we share his word, we don’t have to be perfect, just good enough.

So neither our VBS video nor my fried chicken was perfect, but it hit the mark…or so I hope. Let’s try to focus on the mission and not perfection as we will never get it.

Challenge

Can you accept imperfection? Can you accept that good enough is good enough? Know that your best effort is your best effort.

Prayer

Father God, thank you for forgiving us. Thank you for accepting us no matter how imperfect we are. We love you and are honored that you chose us and love us when we are sinners. We are blessed to have you as our father. In your name, Amen.