"Be ye perfect..."
Matthew 5:48
I have a friend with a son who's autistic. He can be a very sweet boy, but he also can be difficult for her to deal with. Autistic children can be inflexible, so getting them to conform to society's expectations can be tricky.
He's what they call "high-functioning" autistic, which means that he's able to function independently, and attend traditional school with just a little bit of personalized attention and guidance. But still, he often zags when everyone else is zigging, if you get my drift...
And a few days ago, his mom shared with me a funny but eye-opening quote from him. When asked why he asks so many questions in school, and the boy answered, "My teachers want me to be perfect, but they can't explain what perfect is."
I love that line. It's so true. We live in a free country (and I hope you do, too) and yet everywhere we go, there is something expected of us. Rules in school and work, traffic rules, manners, etiquette, do unto others and love as He loved.
Can I just say?.... it's hard. Being "perfect" is hard. Being who my husband and kids want me to be, and who my kids need me to be as their teacher. Being the daughter, sister, friend and citizen that I'm expected to be.
And sometimes these things collide. Sometimes it seems impossible to do more than one successfully. Or maybe sometimes it really is impossible, and all He wants is for us to do the best we can. After all, loving someone doesn't necessarily mean they always get their way.
At any rate, I need to remember that the only "perfect" I need to be, is in His eyes.
~ "If we love one another, God abides in us,
and His love has been made perfect in us" ~
1 John 4:12
~
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