The other day I was doing a paint job for my parents. I get a little obsessive about having the crisp lines and even coverage. ...And then my dad wanted to help.
I love my dad. He is witty, funny, and delightful, and he loves to help others. But he is not a handyman. He is the best gopher! The one you send out to 'go for' things. Pick up lunch... Get the paint shaken... Etc. A good gopher can be a great help during projects. Once he was so sweet and tried to help paint at my house. He immediately spilled the gallon of paint all over the floor accidentally. Naturally my first reaction to his volunteering to help included some inward cringing.
My desire for perfection was tortured with the slow waterboarding of drips and splatters on the floor and wall as he did the cutting in. As the perfection monster in me wanted to cry out and scare the mess away, I realized that wasn't what to really wanted. What I wanted was instead for that monster die!
To send someone away because 'I could do it better' just left me doing the task alone and for a longer period of time. It was much more enjoyable with company, and relationship is God's goal of our life- not striving for perfection.
If God wanted everything perfect, he would bypass us. To use us for his plan, to let us partake in the gift of his creation is to choose messy relationship over calculated perfection. And that isn't hard for him, he delights in us enjoying that adventure with him.
I want to be more like God. I hope I choose messy relationship over the gods of efficiency, perfection, and appearances. I was able to go over some of the messy areas afterwards and now we are both proud of that room. I can look on it with fond memories instead of selfish pride or picking apart mistakes.
I'm glad God lets me be messy but get better alongside him with patience and love.
