I'm not perfect

I just heard a song on Nick, Jr. called 'I'm not perfect' and for some reason it struck a chord with me today. It's a song that was written for kids, but I needed to hear it today. Here's how it goes:

I'm not perfect. No I'm not.
I'm not perfect, but I've got what I've got.
I do my very best. Do my very best.
Do my very best each day.
But I'm not perfect and I hope you like me that way.

We're not perfect. No we're not.
We're not perfect, but we've got what we've got.
We do our very best. Do our very best.
Do our very best each day.
But we're not perfect and we hope you like us that way.

You're not perfect. No you're not.
You're not perfect, but you've got what you've got.
You do your very best. Do your very best.
Do your very best each day.
But you're not perfect and you know I love you that way.


After I heard this, I remembered a song by Natalie Grant called 'Perfect People'. I googled 'perfect people' and guess what came up first? Celebrities who supposedly look perfect. Really? Is that our idea of perfect people? The people that have their lives the least together are the ones that we think of as 'perfect'. That is so messed up.

I think a lot of times as Christians we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to be perfect, or at least act perfect when everyone is watching. But I just don't think that's what it's all about. We can act perfect and we can act like everything in our lives is perfect, but the truth is that we ALL have our weaknesses and we ALL have our moments that we wish we could go back and have a re-do. But because we're not perfect, I think we need to have those times to learn and grow to be better people. If we don't stumble from time to time, how do we learn? That is what grace and forgiveness is all about. And a lot of times we come out on the other side stronger and better than we were before.

Here are a few lyrics from Natalie Grant's song:

Suddenly it's like a weight is lifted
When you hear the words that you are loved
He knows where you are and where you've been
And you never have to go there again

There's no such thing as perfect people
And there's no such thing as a perfect life
So come as you are, broken and scarred
Lift up your heart and be amazed
And be changed by a perfect God.

I think some days we just need to be reminded of this. We are not perfect, but God's love is. He knows what we've been through and what we're going through, but His love is unconditional. The best we can do is learn from our mistakes and bad judgements and not make that mistake again and remember to rely on God through the whole thing.

 I think that's just about as close to perfect as any of us can get.