"Perfect" People Only God Could Love

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you…
~Jeremiah 1:5

Maybe we should all run for public office. We could have debates, disagree and end up still shaking hands. We’d have to be “transparent” about our finances; what we make, how we make it, who we get our money from, to whom we give it etc. Everything we have ever done would be fair game for thorough scrutiny. All the poor decisions and mistakes of our lifetime would be printed in newspapers nationwide. We’d be haunted by each of our actions and inactions. Our whole family would be judged; no single member immune from the harsh light of close inspection.
On the other hand, anything we’ve done well or time we’ve been thoughtful or wise or helpful would be lifted up by our friends. Although some crowds would boo us, others would cheer us. We’d start out with lots of money (a requirement to run for public office it seems) but could end up deep in debt. Some of those debts are better described as indebtedness. We would owe and owe and owe.

We wouldn’t always mean everything we would say and never say everything we mean. We’d learn the art of compromise but only practice it with our friends. We would know every moment which way the wind was blowing.
Considering all this, trying to be a good person doesn’t seem so difficult after all! I say that because some churches have given many people the impression that you have to be perfect to belong. Anyone who is honest with her/himself realizes they aren’t perfect and no one else is either! So the conclusion is that churches are filled with folks who think they are perfect, right? And who wants to hang out with a bunch that thinks so highly of themselves and who will judge you for not being so wonderful, right?

Wrong. We know it is wrong. But convincing those who are not part of a faith community that this understanding is incorrect is not an easy task. It would be far easier to run for public office. Isn’t that where we expect the perfect people to be?

How wonderful that we worship a God that knows us so well and loves us anyway!

Quizzically,
Terry