A Little Bit Testimony, A Little Bit Purpose

When I was a young teenager, my family attended a church that believed that we, as Christians, are called to live lives of perfection. Armed with (and, I mean, sort of rightfully so) Matthew 5:48, we were admonished, week-in and week-out, to “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Overachieving, Type A personality, 14-year-old me did not, in any way, feel daunted by this idea. In fact, it seemed completely reasonable and worthy of endeavor; basically, a person just has to make right choices moment by moment, as Jesus did, right?

Fast forward through a lifetime of consistently not making right choices.

As my faith in and relationship with Jesus has deepened and grown throughout my later adult life, I have felt enticed to hide under the weight of my decidedly un-perfect life. I’m acutely aware of my sin, past and present, and the effects of that realization have felt crippling.

As God began to lay on my heart the idea of writing this blog, along with an earnest hope to be used by Him to inspire and encourage other followers of Jesus, the fear has felt paralyzing. I’m aware of my shortcomings and failings. What will people think? What does she think SHE has to say?

Along with this blog, a tiny dream sprang up in my heart to operate a little faith-based boutique. For years now, my mind has envisioned perfectly coordinated lines of apparel, tote bags, accessories, home décor, and stationery, all artfully handcrafted, charmingly packaged, and presented with an encouragement of faith.

This past week gave me an opportunity to work on my line of small cross-body bags accessorized with pockets upcycled from old denim jeans. Cute florals paired with a trendy design made for a successful product- or so I thought. It would literally be easier to tell you what went wrong than what went right. Snagged threads, crooked seams, and inaccurate measurements all hindered my progress. A thousand times I doubted myself and my ability. Giving up felt like a reasonable conclusion to my effort.

Leading up to the launch of my blog and boutique, as I endlessly pondered names for my craft, my heart kept coming back to “perfection.” When we look in the mirror, literally or metaphorically, our attention is so very often drawn to our snagged threads and crooked seams. How do we, as Christians, recognize, own up to, our imperfection while, at the same time, offer ourselves to be vessels poured out and used for God’s glory?

 

Genesis 1:27 tells us that God created us in His own image. Repeatedly throughout scripture, we are reminded of the loving (I John 4:7), just (Psalm 145:17), merciful (Lamentations 3:22), and faithful (Deuteronomy 7:9) nature of God, and these are just a very few of His attributes. God's image is perfect, and we were made in THAT image. In 2 Corinthians 5:17, a gift to us from the apostle Paul, he writes, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

The author of Hebrews sums it up for us. In verse one of chapter 12, we are encouraged to, “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles” us. We are to “run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” Did you read that? The perfector of faith. Apart from Jesus, we are nothing. Apart from HIM. But, through Him, ALL things are possible (Philippians 4:13).

 

As I set out on this journey of blogging and sharing and encouraging and inspiring, my prayer is that you will join me with a heart open to the wonders of what God can do in the imperfect lives of those who offer themselves to be living sacrifices. It is my prayer that, together, we will find joy in the journey as we live under the freedom of His mercy and love and come to a true understanding of what it means to be perfectly made and perfectly loved.