Perfection

Everyone has sinned and fallen short of God’s glorious standard.  Romans 3:23

A couple of days ago after water aerobics class, I wandered into the lady’s sauna to warm up, and I stumbled into the most interesting conversation occurring among three ladies. It was really a vent session, but I got so caught up in it, that I sat down to listen.

The first lady, Linda, was complaining about her mother.  It seems that Linda never gets the thanks and respect she deserves from her mother for all the many ways she cares for her in any and all situations.  Maria jumped in to say that her husband loves his Mother, but Maria ends up doing all the caring for her, and she resents it.  Both of these ladies painted themselves as the perfect and deserving ones in these situations.

At this moment, Pat took the floor and said, “Ladies, I have to say this.  Three years ago my husband asked me if we could take his terminally ill mother into our home.  He didn’t insist, but he rather made it our decision.  She moved in, and we cared for her.  Then, with tears in her eyes, she said, that man loved his Mama so well.  He carried her in his arms at the end when she couldn’t move by herself.  Just seeing the love in his heart, earned my husband a whole lot of places of respect and love in my heart during that time.  She finished by saying, there’s not one of us who deserves all the riches and grace God gives us.  Not one.”  Wow!  What can one say to that?  She was exactly right.  None of us are perfect.

Silence was followed by wiping of tears, nodding of heads, and an Amen from me.  When we walked out, I stopped Pat to tell her how beautiful her words were to me.  I added, “None of us are perfect.”  She added to my thoughts by saying, “I am so glad my husband isn’t perfect because if he were, he wouldn’t want me.”  God truly placed Pat in our lives that day.

Although I have never had to care for a loved one single handedly, I watched my Mom and Dad care for their parents, I’ve seen other family members care for their loved ones, and recently, I’ve seen friends deal with caring for spouses and parents.  I’m sure they felt a lot of emotions during these times, but I never heard them be resentful.  It’s not about how imperfect those for whom we care are during this time, it’s about the grace we receive to help us be the best we can be to respect and love them.

As we prepare our hearts for the experience of Lent and Easter, I pray while None of us are perfect, no not one.  Romans 3:10,  we can strive to be worthy of the grace we receive to do our best each day.

This is the very perfection of man, to find out his own imperfections.  Augustine