Can We Be Real? - Perfectly Imperfect

Perfectly Imperfect. What does that conjure up in your mind? Honestly, I think we would all have a different answer. For me, though, it conjures up the memory of a conversation, rather than an image.

It goes back to what we talked about yesterday in Minivan Theology – God will show up in the everyday areas of our lives if we are open to His presence. A week or so ago, we were headed to or from therapy again, and my son started asking questions:

So we’re created in God’s image, right?
Yes.
So that means He created us perfectly – just the way He wants us.
Yes!
But He created us to need Jesus, didn’t He?
Yes…
So we aren’t actually perfect, are we?
No, we’re not. We need Jesus to save us from our sins.
So we’re created perfectly…
Yes…
But we need Jesus so that means we’re imperfect.
I think you’re right.
So – we’re ‘perfectly imperfect!’ Perfect, because God created us and He doesn’t mess up. Imperfect because we need Jesus and can’t get to heaven on our own. Perfectly imperfect.

That really got me to thinking – what if we truly viewed ourselves as perfectly imperfect? What if we treated ourselves as though we were created by a holy God, who knew exactly what He was doing when He gave us our hair color, eye color, our height, our physical characteristics.

But let’s not forget about our need for Jesus – the longing in our heart that only He can fill. How amazing to consider that God sent Jesus to take our place, to transform our spiritual imperfection so that someday we can be in a perfect heaven with Him!

When I consider that God is willing to transform our spiritual imperfection, through the gift of His Son – that the price has already been paid and we only need to accept the free gift – it gives my life great value. I was bought with a price, a very heavy price. I don’t know that I would be willing to sacrifice one of my children for someone else to be saved.

Romans 5:8 -
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

While we were still sinners…while we were still in our spiritual imperfection. He didn’t wait for us to get cleaned up, to get our lives together, to work to become holy. His Son paid the price, years ago, before we were even born. And He waits for us – imperfect and all – to come to Him.

That means that on our messy days when we’re running late, when the syrup gets spilled and there are dishes left in the sink and we aren’t sure if the dog got fed or not, and we’re pretty sure that we’re in over our heads with this parenting thing – God perfectly loves our imperfect mess. He doesn’t view us as the imperfection that lingers on the kitchen counter, or find us beautiful based on if we are well-attired and looking perfect. He sees us as the gift we are, the precious gift that He paid for so dearly, the perfectly imperfect life that we are!

You can catch up on the first two posts in this series here:
Part 1 - Getting to Know Me
Part 2 - Craving Real Friendships

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