Looking Perfect:

Recently I was watching the Try Guys which is a Youtube group that tries different things and makes videos over them.  They have definitely inspired me to be more risk taking and confident in trying new and different things.  One of the Try Guys, Ned and his wife Ariel put out a video about their new cookbook they were making as well as the process that goes into making a cookbook.  It was a big production, and it was definitely bigger than either one of them expected.  One thing was the picture taking production.  They had professional photographers getting great and different angles of the food.  They even had a food stylist who would go in with tweezers and other little tools to make the food look completely perfect.  

Like a lot of different items that inspire my blog, this struck me.  How many times have I and others like me attempted to make the food that is online or is in a cookbook, and it ends up not looking just as perfect as the picture.  This could be with things other than with food.  We can try to look as pretty or as skinny as many of the models that are in magazines and on the computer, and never feel like we can measure up.  Ignore the fact that most of their pictures have been edited and have been airbrushed.  Granted, they are beautiful girls, like we all are, but they have had something done to make them look as close to the standard of beauty as can be. 

I think where this really means a lot to me is when I get into my head that no one else struggles.  There are times when I believe that other Christians never get angry or swear or skip a quiet time.  When the truth of the matter is, I know that can’t be true.  The only one who has ever been perfect as a human was Jesus, so I know that even though others may seem perfect, they aren’t.   I have recently really struggled with this as I have been struggling in school.  There have been many times I get impatient with my students, and I often think that if I was a kinder and a better teacher, then I wouldn’t ever get impatient, and I would handle every situation perfectly.  

The other thing about Jesus was that he was perfect, so that no one else had to worry about being completely perfect.  Jesus made it through his life with all the temptations, hurt, anger, and was able to without sinning for 33 years.  Then he died on the cross for the sins that he did not commit.  However, God also loves us.  He loves us more than anything else.  That is why he died for us.  He knew that it was the only way to save us.  We don’t have to be perfect and try to earn our way to heaven.  In 1 Timothy 1:15 it says, “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.”  I am not saying here that I am the worst or you as my reader is the worst.  Paul was writing this to Timothy, and if any of you know Paul’s story, you know that at one time, he was kind of the worst.  He killed many Christians or at least had a major part in killing mass amounts, yet Jesus came into his life and he became the biggest Christian missionary in history.  Even then on the days that we feel like we are the worst or we feel as far from the best, we should remember that God came to save that person and therefore can also save us.   

Yes this doesn’t mean we should try to be imperfect.  This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t try to grow closer to the Lord everyday.   However, it is also important that we become ok with not being perfect and with being just ourselves with a holy God that loves us.  Later Paul would also write in the book of Philippians to the church in Philippi that, “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”  (3:12).  Paul is very aware that he is not perfect, but he wants to continue to grow closer and closer to Christ because that would develop his relationship with God and that will ultimately bring him more joy and more fulfillment.  He doesn’t want to do this in order to look better to the world but only to look better to God.    

It is alright to be the food that is made without the food designer.  It is alright to be the unfiltered picture that has a few flaws.  It is alright to be the man or woman who makes a mistake.  The Lord loves the mess that is created by the common hands. The Lord died for us all when he died on the cross, and he died so we would have a close relationship with him.  You don’t have to be considered perfect to everyone, but just go out there and try to be as close to the Lord as you can.  Be the most beautiful you that you can be and that in the end will be the representation for the Lord.