Perfectly Perfect Perfection

Synonyms for irrestible: alluring, beckoning, charming, enchanting, fascinating, glamorous, imperative, indomitable, ineluctable, inevitable, inexorable, invincible, lovable, overpowering, overwhelming, potent, powerful, ravishing, scrumptious, seductive, stunning, tempting, unavoidable, unconquerable, urgent

This is a post about perfection and the pursuit thereof -- okay . . . it's about my perfection and the lack thereof! I was making a statement earlier about my pursuit of perfection and while that is an "easy" word for one to define, I wanted to explain the hold that pursuing something so elusive and impossible can have on us and our lives. Irrestible is the word that came to mind and I knew that was on track, but, being a writer, I wanted just the *oops* perfect word or phrase. So I went to dictionary.com where I found the definitions above.

This whole thought process began in a very "ordinary" way yesterday. I had agreed to bring a dessert item to a lunch and learn meeting at church this afternoon.  I had decided I really wanted to make the adorable brownie bite "santa hats" in the picture.  After a trip to the grocery store I began assembly of the "hats" and my husband was surprised that I used "store-bought" brownie bites.

(There is absolutely nothing wrong with using "store-bought" anything! In fact, I had decided earlier in the week that I would, indeed, use store-bought brownie bites to make these.) My dear husband, though, is all too aware of my unrelenting pursuit of perfection - in everything I do (and is very familiar with my from-scratch baking habit). (Not that I AM perfect - rather that I pursue perfection--like a rat on a wheel!)

So . . . if you're still with me . . .  Bottom line is this:  It's appropriate and desirable to desire to be the best we can, in all aspects of our lives. However, pursing perfection can, in and of itself, become our purpose and our primary goal. It can make us (me) crazy - and drive those around us crazy too! But perfection is truly irrestible . . .  we will do anything and everything to pursue it.

I stated in a post on Facebook that when we spend to much time and energy pursuing perfection, it becomes urgently beckoning.  The pursuit takes over our lives, consumes us, turns us inside out! Even though we realize, in our sane moments, that we never can and never will achieve perfection, it is alluring and irrestible, until it becomes both imperative and overwhelming.

What is so "insane" is that the definition of the word I was looking for to describe my pursuit of perfection, actually describes God: alluring, beckoning, fascinating, indomitable, invincible, lovable, overwhelming, potent, powerful, stunning, unconquerable. 

That means that if I pursue my own perfection rather than the perfection that is God, I am guilty of idolotry. It means I am putting myself on the same level as God! That is just plain sinful!  Yes, I should strive to be the best "me" possible, but I sin when I seek perfection. 

God doesn't want us to be perfect--he doesn't expect us to be!  He wants us to seek Him! And he want us to have the same zeal in seeking Him - the alluring, beckoning, fascinating, indomitable, invincible, lovable, overwhelming, potent, stunning, unconquerable God of heaven and earth -- as we do in pursuit of own perfection.


"But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me" (2 Corinthians 12:8 NIV).

Blessings on your journey,
Mary

Are You Average?

Recently the Christian Writer's group to which I belong kicked of their tenth year! Our guest speaker was quite engaging and he shared and inspirational message with us. You can read a bit about him and his message HERE.

Our co-directors each offered us encouragement and urged us to commit, or recommit, ourselves to using our gift as writers by kicking things up a notch and really claim our identities as writers.

I've been thinking all week about part of the message our founder and co-director shared. He talked about a time when he was a young man selling cars. He told us he was living "the good life" as he was quite successful financially in his chosen career.

At one particular early morning sales meeting that he really did not want to attend a guest speaker, who had astutely sized him up early on, singled him out and asked him what kind of a salesman he was. Our director said he made a quite disinterested shrug and suggested he was "average."

With that the speaker drew a grid on a board with "excellent" being at the top and "worst" being at the bottom. Then he paused and drew a line in the middle of the line and wrote average next to it.

He looked right at (my director) and asked him if he was really happy being average. Again a somewhat smug and petulant shrug. The speaker urged him and the other salespeople at the meeting not to settle for average because average is "the worst of the best and the best of the worst."

I'll let you think about that for a moment.

Am I an average Christian? Are you? Honestly, sometimes I don't even rate that high on the scale. But I know this much: I don't want to be just average--the worst of the best. I want to be better than that.

I hope you'll join me in the year to come as I strive to raise the bar in my faith life.

"The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever— do not abandon the works of your hands" (Psalm 138:8 NIV).

"The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple" (Psalm 19:7 NIV).


Blessings on your journey,
Mary