This past year has marked a big change in my life. A new way of thinking. A new understanding. If you are a perfectionist or often think you’d like to be, stay tuned! As I seek God, I am constantly reminded of the vast difference between God’s character and my own. I’ve known about this great difference for a long time, but I see it through new lenses now. Instead of feeling burdened by pressure to perform or attain some level of perfection, I am embracing my journey with joy and freedom because I FINALLY realize that perfection is not the goal -- purpose is! I think deep down we all know that, but it is hard to allow that to translate into our daily lives. It is much easier to try and use the seven easy steps to this or that, or to set endless goals in hopes of being more Christ-like. For me, it has been harder to totally surrender my life to Christ. I mean REALLY surrender to the point where I am taking a step back and asking in every situation “What would Jesus do?”. Sorry to use a cliché but when we really break down our lives, isn’t that what it’s about?
You see, instead of striving for perfection, I want to live a life of purpose. For me, that means living a life that’s imitateable. I want to be like the Apostle Paul who said with confidence “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” (I Corinthians 11:1) I threw out a question on facebook awhile back asking….what characteristic makes a life imitateable? I received lots of great feedback including:
Patience, Goodness, Faithfulness, Self-control, Honesty, Integrity, Not Easily Offended, Positive Attitude, Merciful and Forgiving, Having Strong Convictions, Commitment, Dedication, Being a Servant, Humility and Kindness
These are all great answers, but what is the common denominator of each? They all start with love! Ultimately, we only need ONE thing in order to live out all of those qualities. LOVE. When we love people, we want to be patient with them. When we love people, we want to do good. When we love people, we care enough about them to be honest. When we love people, we are self-controlled when we really want to give them a piece of our mind. When we love people, we will serve them even if that means putting our own desires aside.
My purpose is to love. My whole life has been boiled down to that simple statement. This scripture says it best: “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35) So instead of asking God to help me be more patient, to be kind, to be giving, I am asking God…please help me to love people like you. Jesus, help me to see people as you do. The good news is, it’s working!!!
I’m done with perfection and totally down with love!
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