Come As You Are!

Having grown up in the "South", I learned through watching, that people rarely said what they really mean. You always had to look for those hidden cues, to understand what they were really saying. Indirectly I think I picked up on the need to always put on a false front as well. Never let them see you sweat! While that has its' place in the business world and on the playing field, it rarely bodes well for close relationships. How many of you can relate to perfect people, or people who think they are perfect? What makes lasting friendships and close relationships is going beneath the facade of being perfect, and accepting each other as they are.

When teaching young people, I encourage them to try new things, make mistakes and be okay with it. I explain it is a journey of learning. When you fall, get back up and keep trying. Eventually you will get better and fall less, but one of my class rules is no laughing! This allows the class to be emotionally safe to take risks and try new things, even at the risk of looking silly! My ability to connect, hinges on my willingness to be vulnerable, and share my own failures and ultimate success as encouragement for them to keep trying.

I love the chorus to this song, "There's no such thing as perfect people." How true that is. No matter how hard we try, we all need God's forgiving grace. Even if I could keep it all together on the outside, there are always those times where if I said what I really felt like, I would definitely be in trouble! Yet God sees my heart and thankfully my whispered prayers are heard. "Lord help me, I can't do this on my own". He is quicker and better than any cleaning agent on the market. He cleans up the inside, when my best is not good enough, nor ever will be. He died while we were yet sinners, and continues to forgive us as we walk in his grace and love, so that our lives are a living testament to Christ who lives in us.

Be encouraged today that God loves you just like you are, and he knows your weaknesses and strengths. He wants to use you just as you are, to reach others through your imperfections and resulting empathy as you point to him. If we remember the verse in the Lord's Prayer, "Forgive our sins, as we forgive others". Come as you are!

Song. "Perfect People"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRG9BSYng0A