Reframing Perfection

I don’t know about you, but whenever I hear Jesus described as “perfect,” I feel some kind of yucky feelings arise in me.

It makes my failure feel closer. It makes me want to quit trying and it makes it that much easier to accept defeat when the word “perfect” is applied to anyone...because that’s just so far from my reality.

And I’ve also heard this: perfection is boring. But no matter your prior understanding of Jesus, you have to admit his life was far from boring.

Sometimes, when it comes to my relationship with Jesus, I feel the need to throw out everything I’ve been taught and start fresh. So let’s reframe that idea of perfection.

It’s in the details that I’m coming to know Jesus.

Will you let me muse for a second about the type of person Jesus would be if He were here right now?

I think he would drink about one less cup of coffee than me in the mornings and drive about 10 mph slower - not because he was such a rule-follower, but because he was probably too busy singing along to the radio or enjoying the scenery to concern himself with passing the car in front of him - but still arrive on time.

I have a feeling Jesus wouldn’t have Instagram, Twitter or Facebook on his phone; in fact, he might even have a flip phone, but that’s just a hunch. One thing’s for sure, though: He’d be there when you called.

He would be dependable. He would be super present. He would be extremely safe. He would be the ultimate encourager. He would be emotionally mature, relentlessly kind and so sure of Himself. He would be comfortable in His skin, I think, and would actually like Himself (talk about countercultural!).  

I can’t imagine Jesus being self-aggrandizing or disparaging of himself, or that He would be at all interested in diet culture, regrets or punishing himself, but I do think He’d be huge on kindness.

Jesus would have made you feel easy to love. He would never make jokes at your expense, but I bet you guys would have a few inside jokes. He would let you know he was grateful for you - that would never have to be something you questioned when you spent time with Him. I don’t think He ever would’ve downplayed the difficulty of a hard situation you were in, but would’ve spoken into your capability and helped you put everything in perspective.

I believe He was and is a deep feeler and a deep thinker, full of genuine empathy and extending true connection.

I think this general cloud of anxiety that so many of us feel hovering over our lives was something He was free of.

I think Jesus would be the initiator of both snowball fights and difficult conversations. He would be quick to notice and include the kid who feels left out. He would be playful and full of laughter, but also an expert on constructive conflict.

Now that sounds like someone I want to be friends with and the kind of person I hope to become.

As I reacquaint myself with Jesus as my friend - a friend I desperately need and love and have dearly missed - I’m slowly learning His heart for His people, His world and myself.

Recently, He’s been teaching me some hard truths about what it means to honor the people He loves. Sometimes, loving someone well looks like being uncomfortably honest, even when you know it isn’t what they might want to hear. I’ve been learning that giving someone a watered-down version of myself is never loving them well, it’s only inauthentic.

I’ve been realizing that it’s okay to want good things for someone and also recognize that I might not be the one who is supposed to provide them with the help, love, or support that they need. I think there is freedom sometimes in coming to terms with our limitations because Jesus will pick up the slack and be what we can’t be.

Loving well might mean quitting that thing you think you should be doing but actually hate.

I’m also learning that I can’t love well out of a place of emptiness. I’d rather be honest, and a little embarrassed, about where I am, than try to posture and pretend I’m further along in this messy journey called life, because as soon as I speak the truth, freedom and wisdom follow.  

I don’t want to try and fake the real love of God and miss actually experiencing the real thing.

Author | Madison Davis

Recent

Archive

 2021

Categories

no categories

Tags

1 Corinthians 1 Kings 1 Peter 2 Corinthians 2 Peter Aaron Vickroy Abba Abiding Abigail Bradley Abundance Accountability Actions Adam Salway Addiction Adoration Adventure Alafia Adeleke Alex Hinton Alignment Andrew Elder Andrew Smith Anger Anna DiCosty Anna Goellner Anointing Ansley Davenport Anxiety Armor of God Ashlyn Williams Ashton Brantley Asian American and Pacific Islander Month Aubrey Gold Authority Autumn Pressley Awakening Bailey Meyne Balance Beauty Becca Johnstone Becca Morgan Being Uncomfortable Being mortal Beloved Ben Gill Benji Johnston Bentley Clark Bethel Black History Month Blessing Body Image Body of Christ Boldness Boundaries Brad Schiebel Bravery Breakthrough Brittany Futch Brokenness Brooke DeLoach Brooklyn Holloway COVID-19 Caitlin Cooper Calling Calvary Cam Pace Caroline Barnes Caroline Beasley Caroline Newton Carolyn McLain Celebration Change Charlie Knox Child-like Chloe Glass Chosen Christina Hensley Christlikeness Christmas Survival Guide Christmas Claire Jordan Clarity Colorado Comfort Commitment Communion Community Comparison Compassion Complacency Confidence Connection Consistency Contentment Control Conviction Correction Counseling Courage Covenants Creativity Cristina Rosiles Dating Decisions Dependency Depth Desperation Devon Radford Disappointment Discernment Discipleship Leadership Blog Discipleship Discipline Distraction Diversity Division Doubt Dreams Dutch Williams Easter Eat the Book El Roi El Shaddai Elders Elijah Elizabeth Sprinkle Ellie Knight Ellyzsa Valencia Emily Baker Emily Goldin Emily Helton Emily Summers Emma Kate Shelton Emma Whitmer Emmanuel Fortuchang Emotions Empathy Emptiness Encountering God Encounter Encouragement Rooms Endurance Enough Environment Envy Erin Gilleland Eternity Evan Correa Evangelism Exodus Expectation Faithfulness Faith Family Fear of the Lord Fear Feeling Lost Feeling Safe Fernanda Lima Forgiveness Fredom Freedom Freely Given Freshley Friendship Fruits of the Spirit Fun Future Garner Gay Generosity Genesis Gentleness Gift Giving Giving Glory of God Goals God as a Father God is Smart God is with us God's Character God's Heart God's Names God's Plans God's Plan God's Power God's Presence God's Promises God's Timing God's Voice God's Will God\'s Character God\'s Heart God\'s Names God\'s Plans God\'s Plan God\'s Power God\'s Presence God\'s Promises God\'s Timing God\'s Voice God\'s Will God\\\'s Character God\\\'s Heart God\\\'s Names God\\\'s Plans God\\\'s Plan God\\\'s Power God\\\'s Presence God\\\'s Promises God\\\'s Voice God\\\'s Will God\\\\\\\'s Character God\\\\\\\'s Presence God\\\\\\\'s Voice Government Grace Gratitude Guatemala Guidance Haley Blanchard Haley Hall Hallie Turner Hannah Cole Healing Heart Posture Heaven Hinds Feet on High Places Hispanic Heritage Month History of Prayer History of Revival History of Wesley Holidays Holiness Holly Avera Holy Spirit Holy Week Home Honor Hope Hospitality Humility Hunger Hunter MacInnis I Am Ian Burkes Identity Idols Image of God Imagination Influence Inheritance Intention Intercession Interning Intimacy Isolation Jake Stephens Jamaica Jamie Cherf Jealousy Jennifer Daniel Jessie Thomas Jesus John Wesley John Joseph Josh DeRamus Journaling Joy Judgment Julia Baughn Justice Justin Patton Kalli Drake Karla Sanchez Tavera Katherine Burnette Katie Courson Katie Pilson Katie Pitner Katy Smith Kelley Losinger Kelly Losinger Kelsey Parham Kennedy Browning Kimberly Klaer Kindness Kingdom Knowing God Knowledge Known Kourtney Axelberg Kristen Fikse Kyle Pickett Language Latinx Heritage Month Lauren Forbes Leadership Legacy Lia Herrera Life Light Lindsey Conway Listening Living Water Living with God Logic Loneliness Longing Los Angeles Loss Love Languages Love Luke Luvlan Lee Mackenzie Wells Maddie Marsh Madeline Current Madelyn Livingston Madison Davis Madison McManners Makinizi Hoover Mariah Foote Mariah Taylor Marlena Sculac Marriage Martin Luther King Jr. Matthew Maturity Melissa Merrick Mental Health Mercy Meredith Ashburn Messiah Michael Weidner Miracles Missions Morgan Attebery Mourning Names Narnia Nashville Natalie Mata Nathan DeYoung New Covenant New Year Obedience Old Covenant Olivia Beals Olivia Ellis Openness Outreach Pain Partnership Passover Past Paul Peace Perfection Perseverance Perspective Peter Pharisees Philippians Power Praise Prayer Guide Prayer Meetings Prayer Pride Processing Prophecy Protection Provision Psalm 23 Psalms Purity Purpose Rachel Dow Rachel Erin Taylor Rachel Henderson Rachel Jones Racial Healing Racial Reconciliation Rebecca Mejia Recipes Reconciliation Red Rising Redemption Refinement Reflection Reform Refreshing Relationship Remedy Repentance Resolutions Resources Responsibility Restoration Rest Resurrection Reverence Revival Rhythm Righteousness Riley Orr Risk Romance Romans 8 Romans Rosalie Vendrell Ruth Sabbath Sacred Rhythms Sacrifice Salvation Sam Adams Sam Carroll Sam Darby Samantha Forbes Samantha Richey Sanctification Sarah Savoie Savannah Hill Savannah Shaw Savannah Ugan Scripture Seasons Secrets of the Secret Place Seeking God Selah Self-love Sermon on the Mount Serving Shaking Shame Sidney Counsell Simplicity Singleness Sin Slowing Solitude Sorrow Sovereignty Spiritual Disciplines Spiritual Gifts Spiritual Health Spiritual Themes Spiritual Warfare Status Steadfastness Stephanie Seda Stephanie Stewart Strength Stress Struggles Suffering Summer Survival Guide Summer of Psalms Summer Surrender Temple Temptation Tenderness Tension Testimony Thankfulness The Beatitudes The Church The Cross The Gospel The Law The Lord's Prayer The Lord\'s Prayer The Lord\\\'s Prayer The Prodigal Son The Road to Life The Secret Place The Shack The Ten Commandments The Trinity The Word of God Therapy Tori Kramer Transformation Transition Trust Truth Uncertainty Unity Urgency Values Victory Vision Vulnerability Wandering Wednesday Night Recap Who Am I Wilderness Wisdom Wonder Word for the Year Words Worship Worth