She Is Just So Perfect

She has a great body. Her hair is always perfect. She has a great sense of style, and the money to go along with it. She’s always smiling. She has beautiful kids. Her husband adores her. Her house is always clean. She goes on incredible family vacations to places you have only dreamed of. She just seems to have it all together! You know her! She’s that one woman you are thinking of right now. If you could just live her life for one day…

If we are really honest, we are all guilty of breaking the tenth commandment: coveting! We often look at someone else and envy their life. We often forget the many blessings we have in front of us and yearn for something more or something different.

Years ago when I was preparing for a Mom’s get together at my house, I pulled out all the stops. I made sure the house was spotless. I cleaned, dusted, swept, vacuumed, and I laid out an incredible spread for lunch. Not just any lunch, I had used my “Ratatouille” sense of smell and taste to recreate the tuna salad at my favorite Italian sandwich shop. I wanted everything to be perfect. There was only one little thing I forgot to clean: the microwave. It was gross! I think some tomato sauce had exploded in it a while back, and I sincerely meant to clean it, BUT ‘out of sight, out of mind’…I just kept forgetting.

Oh well! I figured no one would need to use it anyway. My friends arrived and a few of their friends that they had invited arrived too. We were all having a great time when one of my friends asked to use the microwave. Of course, it was in the middle of my kitchen along with several of my guests. I said, “Sure! But I am warning you that it is incredibly messy!” Anyway, she opened it up, heated the food for her little one, and that was that.

A few days later while I was at her house, she commented on the state of my microwave. She said, “Teresa, I am so glad your microwave was dirty! It made me realize that you are not perfect.” I have to admit that her statement rocked me a bit…in a good way. I replied, “Well Cat, I am glad I could help you out!” We both laughed and continued hanging out with the kiddos.

BUT seriously, I am so glad (and relieved) that she could see that I was not perfect. Great, I could stop pretending! In fact, I decided to never pretend again. I wanted all of my mom friends to know that I too make mistakes, and that my house is often…MESSY! I decided that day to be more REAL. Of course, I still like to have a clean house, but I am not going to break my neck trying to clean everything before people come over…as if I don’t have three young kids!

So my challenge to you this new year: to be more real! To accept people for who they are, to invite people into your life and home…even when it is not perfect. Trust me, God never intended us to run around trying to impress others. We should feel free to be ourselves, and thus free someone else up to do the same. We should stop comparing, and start loving more because the truth is that life is sometimes… a little messy. J

Heavenly Father,

Your word is perfect, and so are you! We want to be more like you, but we often fall so short. Help us to give ourselves and those around us a little more grace. Help us to be big on love and not dangerous comparisons and criticisms. Help us to invite people into our lives and homes even when it is a little messy. Help us to be other-centered and not so focused on ourselves and the vain pursuit of worldly perfections. Help us to love like you love, and to be willing to be vulnerable for your glory.

In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”                  2 Corinthians 12:9