Mr. Perfect
Remember last week when Sofia picked Jesus as her bridegroom? She picked Mr. Perfect.
Mr. Perfect never argues, always listens. He’s always perfect.
It’s easy to love someone who is perfect.
The Golden Calf, A Bible Story
It reminded me of the Israelites in the desert when they were following Moses.
They didn’t want a relationship with a God who was flesh, blood, bones— who had PMS every month and got moody because they had this very small tendency to get drunk and party every weekend and accidentally had orgies and fights and burned down their tents.
They kinda wanted a God who was… you know… more plastic, more perfect— Like a golden calf!
This kind of relationship never talks back, never has to use the rest room, doesn’t need to eat or sleep, you can call them 24/7, very very low maintenance. And… good-looking.
Talk about trophy date!
God resisted. God resisted being their Barbie Doll. God insisted that he had feelings.
The Israelites were like, “Last month, you said go south. This month, you say go north. I swear to you, God— I saw that same cactus before. I think we’re actually wandering… in circles.”
You have been wandering around in this hill country long enough; turn to the north.
—Deuteronomy 2:3
And they were. They were actually wandering in circles for 38 years. They definitely had a point.
But seriously, the golden calf was not going to improve their situation and help them not wander in circles. The only thing the golden calf was going to do— was make them wander in circles, carrying a golden calf who weighs 2,000 pounds.
God Isn’t Mr. Perfect
God has never once wanted to be perfect.
God has always wanted to be loved.
Those are two different things. In order for God to be perfect, you have to turn him into a barbie doll. There’s no way to have a relationship with a perfect person— because that’s actually not a person— that’s an object.
The only way for us to have a relationship with God is to realize that he’s not perfect. He’s us.
He’s super goofy. He’s silly. He’s funny. He makes mistakes. He’s learning. He’s into this. He’s kinda clueless sometimes. And he’s here to teach you how to love.
And the only way God can teach you how to love, is for God to be imperfect.
A perfect being, like a barbie doll can never teach you how to love.
An imperfect being— like your own child— is going to teach you true love.
An imperfect being— like your dog, who eats strawberry jam and falls asleep on the floor— is going to teach you true love.
God is always volunteering to be imperfect— because God is always teaching you, not perfect love, but true love.
Which means God is always teaching you— how NOT to be perfect, but how to be… you.
When you’re trying to be perfect, you’re not being yourself.
God is just trying to get you to be your true self. Not your perfect self.
