"be perfect"
Matthew 5:48
Do you know any perfectionists?
I've got two in my family. My Awesome Girl, is an awesome artist, but very critical of her own work. She gets that from my husband, the Apple of my Eye, who has always been a harsh critic of his work.
It's hard for me to hear their judgement of their work. Not just because I love them, and don't want them unhappy, but because I have eyes. I can see their work. I can see how good it is. The Apple of my Eye has done paintings and sketches that hang in our home. He has also done a little bit of sculpting, designed clothing, takes amazing photos, and has to chance to show his creativity and skill in his job as a graphic designer. My Awesome Girl has done watercolor and is learning to use oils. She sketches (almost constantly!) and is a wonderful photographer.
In all of these avenues, I can see their talent. I can see color and detail and creativity that I could never come up with. And I see that they are gifted, because if I tried to draw that flower, it would look like a horse. And if I tried to draw a horse, it would look like a flower. It's sad, really... But still, they see what my eyes don't see ~ some way in which their project could be better. Closer to perfect. And so they criticize.
So here's my wonderment for today: Is God a perfectionist?
Cuz on the one hand, He's perfect. "your Father in heaven is perfect." (Matthew 5:48) And He calls us to be perfect. "you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect." (Matthew 5:48)
On the other hand, He loves us even though we're not perfect. "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)
And He loves it when we recognize that we're not perfect. He can work with someone who knows they're not perfect. "The humble He guides in justice, and the humble He teaches His way." (Psalm 25:9)
The word perfectionist means someone who refuses to accept any standard short of perfection. That sounds like God. The word perfect means having all required or desirable elements, qualities or characteristics; free from flaw or defect. That sounds like God.
But here's what I love. The word perfect comes from the Latin for complete. That's what I want to be. That's what God is doing. It's not for us to achieve. He takes us from flawed to whole; from broken to healed; from incomplete to perfect.
... if we're willing to let Him.
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| Hannah Harris ~ Hannah Harris Fine Art |
~ "God is my strength and power
and He makes my way perfect" ~
2 Samuel 22:33
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