In favor of imperfection

Has everything to be perfect? Your family life, your job, your wedding day, any day? If everything has to be just right, the stakes are high that the first step is not taken lightly. If everything needs to be perfect we hesitate to live with less weight, apply for a new job, press the "ship it" or "go" button, refrain from proposing an idea that is around for some time and resist the inspiration to look into something new.

Forward is the only way and we can start from what we have and we are now. It is enough. No need to living in fear that you will make mistakes by not understanding all the moves down the road (or draws on the chess board). Our world is filled with imperfect, and humility acknowledges where we stand. This is the way to pass through imperfection. Perfection is God's prerogative, perfection is spiritual - and it is for everyone. No one is more "perfect" than anybody else. Perfection is spiritual. It is the signature feature of the kingdom of heaven - the realm of the real, the dimension of Spirit.

From this spiritual, realistic perspective the Bible is a huge inspiration - it tells us about normal, imperfect people and imperfect settings. It talks about the arrival of Jesus in a modest manger, writes about followers and disciples of Jesus as people with flaws, doubts, tempers, questions, and courage. It describes upbringings in impossible surroundings, unexpected setbacks, betrayals and hopes, not to mention challenges confronting men and women of truly gigantic proportions. Imperfections and shortcomings everywhere.

Mary Baker Eddy, a spiritual reformer and author of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures - a fabulous Bible commentary in its own right - has this advice for us:

"To do good to all because we love all, and to use in God's service
the one talent that we all have, is our only means of adding to that talent and the best way to silence a deep discontent with our shortcomings." (from Miscellany, p. 195)

Our shortcomings are similar to the ones of everyone else, don't you agree? So can we stop judging ourselves and start using what we have? We want motion, so the only way to move is --- to move. Trust more in God's loving support than your own ability to figure it all out. Sweep away all sense of exposing yourself to ridicule - take out of your efforts all sense of pressure. Do what you can, this will be enough. We can move forward with the simple desire to love - and see where it leads us. While Love's all-inclusive presence holds us close and guards our steps.