All my teenage male peers were sloppy. I wasn’t, but I wanted to fit in, so I decided to try their lifestyle. It wasn’t easy. Piling dirty clothes on the floor, leaving food scraps on my bed, and allowing loose papers to liter my desk wasn’t me. A place for everything and everything in its place was my motto.
I made it through the week but was a nervous wreck from attempting messiness. You might think that strange for a teenager, but Mom and Dad were neat freaks, and I inherited the gene. I still have it, and unless I incur a form of brain damage altering my normal state, I’ll keep it until I die. It fits my personality.
Perfectionism is a term associated with antics parroting mine, but even perfectionists know we aren’t and can’t be perfect. Dust will accumulate, dishes will get dirty, clothes will soil, carpet will need vacuuming, floors will require mopping and mistakes will be made. Every person and thing carries seeds of imperfection.
Solomon said it well: There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins. (Ecclesiastes 7:20) And Paul later wrote: For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)
Though perfection in the physical and spiritual realms is unattainable, it’s a worthy goal to be better than we are. Coach Boone in the movie Remember The Titans said; We will be perfect in every aspect of the game. He knew the football players weren’t, but he required their efforts to be.
I will never reach sinless perfection this side of heaven. Imperfections will always taint my actions, attitudes and words. But shortcomings are not sufficient reason to give up or give God less than my best. God gives strength to overcome any temptation, and his indwelling Spirit empowers us to make wise and proper choices. Believers aren’t what they were but neither are we what we will be. What can you do to enhance your progress?
Prayer: Merciful heavenly Father, remind us godly living authenticates the message of Christ’s love.
It's interesting how we each have different personalities. I'm a little on the neat side, but I find my standards lowering as I age...not sure if that's a good thing or bad thing. I pray they aren't lowering for my spiritual "neatness." Good stuff in this devotion, Martin. Thanks for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteI like your perspective. I can be somewhat of a neat freak too, but not in a way that hinders (not too much anyway, ha--because my house is sorta messy right now). It has been a journey to know that Jesus is my righteousness; it's not dependent on me. He finished it; he's perfect so I don't have to be. It doesn't mean I don't still strive to be pleasing to him in every way, but I know I don't have to be in order to be loved by him.
ReplyDeleteI hang onto Philippians 1:6 -- "being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." I know I'm not perfect now, but each day, God is busy at work, changing me into the person He wants me to be!
ReplyDeleteI can absolutely relate - I am a perfectionist (and I live with an unperfectionist-man and two messy boys!).
ReplyDeleteThanks for linking up at Graceful this week for Hear It, Use It - grateful for your voice today!
I hear ya on that one all though I wasn't always like this. As a child I hated chores, but I did do them. Now, I'm with you everything in it's place and organized. I'm an organized freak I guess you would say. My children nothing like me, but when they were little they had chores and did them. Now, all I keep saying is I didn't raise you like this... oh well, maybe if their kids are messy they'll snap out of it & some has. Have a great weekend. Thanks for sharing. Stopping by from "A Sorta Fairytale". I'm your latest follower. Nice to meet you.
ReplyDelete