My older sister, a cousin, and I were sitting in my aunt’s living room making potholders. After discussing the variety of topics young girls do, we turned our minds to more spiritual things. We spoke about God and how He is perfect. He never says or does the wrong things. He never forgets to do what He promised. And His character is flawless, perfect in unity, love, and righteousness.
After discussing those points out loud, we also acknowledged that we could never be like that. We are prone to messing things up in all the wrong ways! My sister, cousin, and I smiled at each other as we said in unison, “Don’t you love that God is perfect since we aren’t?”
Just then, my cousin finished her potholder. She looked it over critically and then pulled one of the strands from its position.
“Why did you do that?” my sister cried.
“Because it looked too perfect, and we can’t have anything perfect,” my cousin declared.
It gave us great delight to know our works were all flawed because it made God’s perfection all the more amazing!
As a Christian, I came to understand my own hopeless, sinful state and how it separated me forever from this perfect God. {I was that flawed potholder, doomed to be imperfect.} Yet, even better, I became aware of Christ’s perfection – He was made perfect through His suffering on the cross – and that He offered that perfection to me!
We who write often make it our ultimate goal to produce a work that is completely “perfect.” We want none of those grammar typos, extra punctuation, unintelligible phrases, spelling errors, scene confusion, or characters whose names change halfway through the story.
But, that’s impossible for fallible human beings!
So, enough stressing about the details to make sure everything is perfect. Let our readers find our works flawed.
We’re naturally going to give it our very best as we work as unto the Lord {Col. 3:23}. Instead of getting disappointed with the errors in our books, though, we can rejoice.
Every error is a great reminder of Christ’s perfection, which He offers to us – a rebellious and sinful people. Don’t you love that God is perfect since we aren’t?
I admit the book I penned is not perfect, but I will rejoice in the flaws. Dear readers, may you find it flawed!
“As for God, His way is perfect: the Lord’s word is flawless; He shields all who take refuge in Him.” {1 Samuel 22:31 and Psalm 18:30.}
Alyson Jensen