Perfection

Sometimes I have a problem...I want things to be perfect. Over the last 6 to 8 weeks I've been using powerpoint slides while preaching. When it comes to these things I want it to be perfect and I work my hardest to get it that way. This Sunday I was thrown a curve ball. I began my second point and realized the slides had gotten out of order. The frustration began growing inside of me because I knew I'd checked it more than once and now I was looking "foolish." For the rest of the sermon my concentration was gone...but I learned that God is more powerful than my imperfection.

Jesus tells a story in the Bible about a man who wanted to become a disciple. Jesus invited him to come and his response, 'Let me go bury my Father and I will.' Jesus response, "Let the dead bury the dead.' Was this Jesus being uncompassionate? To begin with Jesus had insight we don't. If his Father was close to death why wasn't he at home caring for him at that moment? Chances are this man's father was not anywhere close to death so it could be years before this man returned. In some ways this man wanted to follow but he wanted to wait until things were perfect.

Sound familar? There are times God has called us to something...we get all excited and say 'YES but wait til...I am more financially secure...til my chilidren are grown...til I retire I'm so close'...bascially wait until life is perfect. Guess what...life will never be perfect so we might as well say 'Yes' and begin moving. This morning I was riding down the road when I heard a story that really impacted me. This story had to do with Japan. Japan has been devastated by an earthquake and tsunami yet when word reached them of the destruction in the South, especially Alabama, they chose to give and help these places re-build. Things in Japan are far from perfect, yet they are giving money that could go toward re-building their own country. Whatever they give may pale in comparison to what they've recieved but what an impact this has on the lives that will be touched by it...Life upon this earth will never be perfect but God can work powerfully through our imperfections.