Perfection

Whoever’s word and expectations define you, is your god/God.

By Vionette LeGrand

When I was young, I remember sitting down at a table rewriting an essay by hand because my handwriting was not perfect. My paper was thrown into the trash can at least five times before it was perfect enough in my mom’s eyes. I remember crying as I wrote my essay for the 6th time. Time and time again, I failed to provide a perfect paper. Time and time again, it would get thrown in the trash. The way I viewed perfection compared to the way my mom viewed perfection was different. There would be MANY times growing up when I would fall short.

I wonder how many of us strive to be perfect every day? The definition of perfection according to Merriam Webster is in the chart below.

When you read the definition, it states the following. “a: freedom from faulty or defect: FLAWLESSNESS.” Isn’t interesting we try to attain flawlessness when we know it is unattainable? I struggled with being perfect for a long time. I believed I needed to be perfect, to be liked and loved by others and God. The culture we find ourselves in shames people for being imperfect, making people feel ashamed of being who they where created to be. The feeling of shame makes people want to seclude themselves from others. The feeling of shame also makes people build walls of unattainable perfectionism. Many stop going to churches because they believe they are not good enough. I have heard jokes like, “Well, if I walk in that church, I will burn.” Hearing this is sad. 

Jesus died on the cross for us because of our sins. The purpose of Christianity is to reach the lost, yet the lost feel ashamed to walk in the door because we have created a culture of Perfectionism is unattainable. The word of God says, 1 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” which means that we will make mistakes in our healing journey. BUT GOD! You see the answer to shame is not putting the façade of perfection. The answer to shame is realizing that we are imperfect, but that doesn’t disqualify us from being amazing!

In life, many people will judge us according to their view of perfection. We need to understand that there was a reason that God sent His one and only son to die on the cross. One He loved us and understood that we were never going to be perfect, but he loved us so much that he didn’t want us to stay like that forever. You see even though Jesus was perfect other people didn’t accept Him. What makes you think that you are an exception? Jesus knew a secret that many didn’t know. He knew that whoever’s words or expectations defined him would be His god. He chose to keep His eyes on who God said He was instead of who others said He was.

I look back to that day when I had to write my essay for the 6th time. I was reminded that perfection would never be attainable, and as I matured into an adult, I learned that my calling in life was to be myself. Nothing screams, God I trust you more than being yourself. Many will try to define you and mold you into who they want you to be, but I leave you with the question, who is your God? Keep in mind whoever’s word and expectations define you, is your god/God. Perfection is unattainable, but you are still amazing! You might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but that is okay be true to who God has created you to be. That screams GOD I TRUST YOU!

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“Perfection Definition & Meaning,” Merriam-Webster (Merriam-Webster), accessed August 15, 2022, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perfection, 1.

1 Rom 3:23