PERFECTLY IMPERFECT

PRACTICE: Reflect on how you were disciplined as a child.

My beloved son recently made a post on social media that asked, “What did your parents say to you just before the administration of a disciplinary action?” (paraphrased) Use your imagination for the definition of “disciplinary action.” As a rule, I read his post but most often do not comment which would have been the case this time had not a great niece/his cousin posted this question to my son, “Were you bad or bad bad?” I couldn’t help it, so I posted, “both and sometimes in the same day,” which led to a lively exchange with others who have known my son most of his life. I exited the social media conversation with an affirmation that my son matured into the kind of man that any mother would be proud to have call her Mom, but had been a challenge to raise. He was never verbally or blatantly disobedient but was disobedient none the less and thus the disciplinary actions which were freely administered along with a lot of grace.

Obedient living (your moral compass dictates the definition) does not mean that we live perfect lives. Obedient living means chastisement comes in the form of consequences. Living obedient lives means that we are often the recipients of grace and don’t get what we deserve. Obedient living means that when we venture into those places where it feels really good, but the brain is shouting, “this is not good,” we are able auto-correct – MAYBE. For some of us, obedient living means we apologize frequently to a friend or family member when our tongue produces situations that aren’t indicative of who we want to be. Others of us find obedient living in choosing NOT to consume the food or beverage that raises our glucose levels or blood pressure. And for some, it is the resistance to an old habit that pops up and cuts in on us just when we are going in the right direction.

Obedient living does not mean we are perfect! It does mean that when we are less than our best, we turn and start again! Obedient living means living a perfectly imperfect life. And like the affirmation of my son, at some point you affirm yourself and others confirm the results of living an obedient lifestyle. You know within yourself that perfection had nothing to do with any of it.

2 Cor. 7:9-10

PONDER THIS THOUGHT – Grace and consequences are an integral part of living an obedient life.