Perfection

We live in a world that is obsessed with perfection. Even those who think they aren't can at times find themselves obsessing over something, wanting it to be perfect. That could be a relationship, their body, a situation. The types of things you can obsess about becoming perfect are endless. This is not just for the natural perfectionist either. It's for the mom who wants to be perfect at mothering her children, the wife who wants to be perfect, the business owner who thinks he must made a certain quota. We don't like failure.

This past week God has been speaking to me deeply about the choice of my words towards my children. Words hold the power of life and death. We can speak to our children and raise them up in life or we can break them by speaking words that bring death. Even a simple, "Leave me alone I'm busy. Go away I'm doing something..." can be detrimental to a child's simple thought life.

Not just my kids though. Anyone. If I'm not careful with what I say I could leave a bad influence or impression on anyone that I come in contact with. Seems like a lot of pressure right?

My eldest daughter struggles (yes, at five years) with some issue of self-confidence. She'll ask me questions about herself and I would normally reply, "Kaidance. Why do you think that? God made you perfect." This normally would suffice her for a few days and then she would come back and we would have another conversation about something she was struggling with and again after a few moments of discussion my final reply would be, "But Kaidance! God made you perfect. Don't fret."

How wrong were my choice of words. God brought to my attention that this reply wasn't what she was seeking nor was it what He was asking me to give. Kaidance is not perfect. She is human. She is flesh. And when we were born we were born into sin. Christ is the only human that lived that was perfect. Perfect literally means perfect; having all the required or desirable elements, qualities, or characteristics; as good as it is possible to be.

As much as I'd like to admit to you that Kaidance is as good as it possible can be, she isn't. She makes mistakes. She sins. I make mistakes. I sin. It hit me like a ton of bricks when my eyes were opened and I began to see something clearly in teaching her about herself.

My reply changed.

"Kaidance, you are not perfect honey. But God created you in a very specific manner. He created you and knows you and loves you just the way you are. There is only one Kaidance Jade and no one else exactly like you."

Since we have had this conversation she hasn't approached me or talked negatively about herself. You see as simple as it sounds, as much as you may already know it, do you really know it? Do you really believe it? God doesn't expect perfection. God knitted you in the womb. (Psalm 139). He covered you while you were forming. He knows the very minor hairs on your head. He loves you because He created you, not because He expects perfection.

So breathe today. Breathe because you can rest confidently in the truth that God loves you and that just as He knows your strengths He knows and sees your weaknesses. That He sent a helper for you, the Holy Spirit, to help you when you are weak and imperfect. When you have a relationship with Christ you realize just how imperfect you are, and that it is by Christ growing in you and you removing your flesh that you become the impact and influence people need and desire.

Don't reach for perfection. You will never find it. Reach for Christ who's perfect love can be manifested in you.