The Freedom To Be Imperfect

“My imperfections and failures are as much a blessing from God as my successes and my talents and I lay them both at His feet.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi
A trio of family members performed a Celtic music benefit concert for a small not-for-profit in which I am involved. After the performance I sent a brief note of thanks to the leader of the trio and she sent back this response;


“I love playing with Karen (her sister) and Jacob (her son) and we truly "make music" together with a freedom to be imperfect and a freedom to try anything we feel moved to try. There is a joy in it that is hard to explain - but wonderful for us. It truly is a singular blessing and one which I have always enjoyed with them. Actually, my whole family is musical and some of the most wonderful times have been when we have shared that gift with one another. Even though I was exhausted yesterday, I was filled with "peace surpassing understanding," and it has followed me into today. Thank you for your kind words - I am delighted that you enjoyed it!”
What a liberating string of thoughts and words! What a peace – freedom to be imperfect and a freedom to try anything we feel moved to try! This woman is gifted indeed. She plays the harp and the piano with concert quality. By her own words she knows this is a gift, yet she finds joy in knowing that, even in her gift, joy is not found in perfection, but in the sharing of it, the offering of it, the fellowship of it and in its daring expression. She takes risks with her gift and she’s not afraid of being imperfect. That selfless giving of herself to her gift is what makes it a joy. Could that joy in its risking, sharing and giving be the perfection of it?

As we work out our lives exploring, discovering and endeavoring to express our purpose and our gifts, isn’t it good news indeed that we are free to be imperfect? Isn’t it encouraging to know that we can try and risk without having to be perfect?

The Apostle Paul, a self-described perfectionist until his conversion, in 2 Corinthians 12 (NKJV quoted here) recounts how an area of imperfection in his life bothered him. Verses 8-10; “Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Can you find the "imperfect" clover in this picture?
In my book, there is only One who is perfect. To Him I pray, I obey and I get out of His way. And He accepts me as I am. We are family and I am made perfect through Him. My goal is Him and my means is obedience. After all, as John MacArthur puts it, “The true Gospel is a call to self denial, it is not a call to self fulfillment.” That is, the call is to something much larger, perfect and infinitely more wonderful and resourceful than ourselves into which we are grafted for a selfless, fruitful purpose.

“This is the very perfection of a man, to find out his own imperfections.” ~ Saint Augustine
“The Pressure’s Off” as Larry Crabb puts it in his excellent book of the same title. We say that the most successful of people are well acquainted with failure - yet most of us continue to strive to live linear lives that avoid imperfection at all cost. The cost is lost joy. The cost is not discovering or expressing and sharing what lies bridled in our hearts for fear of executing poorly.
Confucius is credited with saying, “To know what is right and not do it is the worst cowardice.” That quotation is not qualified by a requirement to be perfect or even to succeed in the doing. There is no self esteem in it, There is no self glory in it. It requires only obedience to what you know is right. Success is in being true to that.

In our imperfections we are unique. As we live in our purpose and apply ourselves to those things that make us individually come alive – we will struggle and likely stumble and fall along the way. But our perseverance and vision will bring an energy to get up and try again as we keep our eyes on the goal. And so our imperfections are perfected in our perseverance - our imperfections become the markers in our lives.

All the best!

Bill