Don't worry! I'm a screw up. And this I know.
One of my favorite authors quotes a teacher who said we ought to all be perfect. The teacher even said that there is a way to do it. Would you believe that I read it in a book?
Would a nomination for an award announcing my so-called "holiness" promote a change in my actions? Or would the opportunity instead produce doubts about my spirituality?
What is more important- being accurate and correct and making sure others know that what I know is fact and truth? Or is it better to lend a helping hand, reach out, and just let things slide if they go against my understanding of how I believe one ought to live? And is it my business how others live? Should I only focus on my own self? Do I ever need to step in if someone is breaking a commandment? Or breaking two of them? Or breaking all of them? At the same time? In broad daylight? GASP!
The movie "The Perfect Family" portrays just this: A family woman/ mother/ wife was elected as the prospective "Catholic Woman of the Year" with the possible grand prize of the Blessing of Absolution from the Bishop of Dublin himself! Upon finding out that her imperfect family would be interviewed before she could be considered for the award, this wife acted like a stranger to her husband and like an evil teacher to her children. Scolding. Ridiculing. Judging.
hmmmm...
Hadn't she ever made mistakes?
It really was strange watching someone act this way. A new perspective and a new point of view is given here.
She knew what was taught at church. She knew what the Bible said. Why couldn't everyone just follow what the Bible said so that she could be comfortable and correct, and so that she would be viewed as blameless?
WHAT IS PERFECTION?
Here are some words from a certain chapter of a certain book:
poor, mourn, meek, hunger, merciful, pure, peacemakers, persecuted, insulted...
This word list is mostly depressing! I would not want to be in most of these situations. But I would be considered blessed by my creator if I was in one of these categories!
Really? Yes, really!
What if I told you that I LOVE ONLY THOSE WHO I LOVE.
Or that I GREET ONLY MY OWN PEOPLE...
This would show that I am doing nothing exceptional. People who do dishonest business also practice these social skills. Non-believers do these things too.
WHY?
Because it is natural.
My natural way of socializing and relating to others just may not fit here. Perfection goes against my own ego. My ego is concerned with being right. Here it says that being in a bad place puts me in a good standing, while being in a high place puts me at risk!
What?
So what is perfection? This sounds like a good place to start.
We can never do it. It is all Jesus. But we are commanded to do it. This is how it is done.
(Based on Matthew 5, NIV).
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