Perfection Belongs to God

Once again this wacky winter is making my role as organizer of the homeschool ski trips exceedingly traumatic. It is going to be 60 degrees on the mountain today! 70 here in Charlotte! I love skiing in warm weather, but snow requires a different set of weather parameters. I am in charge of making the call by 8:00 this morning whether our group should go or should stay. It is daunting and scary. If I make a bad decision here, I will anger a plethora (love that word!) of homeschoolers, and they know where I live. I have a healthy respect for what a gaggle of homeschoolers can do. I do not want to anger them.

However, the mountain has a good base of snow (all manmade of course as there has been next to no real snow this winter). Once I check the webcam at the ski resort this morning, I am inclined to think we ought to go. Our group has been rained out of all but two of our planned trips, and this is likely the last opportunity. I am not sure it will be perfect, but it might be good enough.

I remember saying those exact words to my youngest art student yesterday. She is very talented, more than she yet understands. She likes the very tall stool because she can sit comfortably with the bigger kids. She also has a good eye, and knows when things are not quite right with her drawing. But she is young, and not always able to correct what she knows the drawing should be.
"This isn't right," she told me.
We looked over her drawing. She was correct. It wasn't right. But I looked at her, considered her age, thought of how much (all) of her drawing would need to be altered, how much time was left in the class, and made a decision.
"You're right. It is not quite exact, but you know what? It is pretty good. I think you can leave it. It is not perfect, but it is good enough."

In general, I struggle with this concept. I don't settle easily for "good enough." I run after perfection. Thus... I am often frustrated and dissatisfied. I know that the goal should not be "good enough". The goal should be my best, my very best. But sometimes my very best is only "good enough", and sometimes not even that. I do fear that relaxing standards leads to complacency, back-sliding, and eventually, mediocrity. I don't think we are called to be mediocre if we can avoid it. However, sometimes the pursuit of perfection leads me down the unhappy path of pounding my head against a concrete floor. I need to be better at figuring out when "good enough" will do.

I cannot think of a single incident in the Bible to help me here. Jesus says, "Be ye perfect as I am perfect" and "Work as for the Lord and not for man." I can't remember anyone ever being exhorted to go out and just try to be good enough. A word search on "perfect" shows hundreds of verses. Perfect love, perfect peace, perfect faith....A word search of "good enough" shows one entry. But it is a telling one. It is from Ezekiel 34, and the prophet is chastising the people for not being satisfied with what they have, with the good things God has provided. They are selfish in their drinking in of God's goodness. Perhaps that is the key in knowing when one's striving after perfection is no longer a blessing. If it tramples on others, or if it leads to discontent with the bounty God has provided, it is probably time to back off and recognize that sometimes good enough is good and Perfection belongs to God.

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:48 NIV)

For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. (Hebrews 10:14 NIV)

Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of your pasture with your feet? Is it not enough for you to drink clear water? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet? (Ezekiel 34:18 NIV)

For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. (Hebrews 10:14 NIV)

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