Empowered by Imperfection

One of the most valuable lessons I ever learned came to me when I was in the 5th grade. My teacher encouraged me to enter a poster into a competition. I carefully drew each image. I chose just the right colors. It was perfect. I then dropped an uncapped marker straight onto my perfect poster. I was devastated. My teacher said, “I don’t see an ugly mark! I see a bird!”

I replied, “That does NOT look like a bird!”

So she asked me, “What would it take to make it look like a bird?” I felt the panic begin to ebb away and possibilities creep in. That mark became a bird and soon had a flock of friends!

I am a mess. Distracted. Overwhelmed. Exhausted. Quirky. Highly-sensitive. My success story today has a lot of chaos in the wake!  BIG mistakes! Embarrassment. Shame. Disappointment. Failure. Excuses. Suffering. Life happens. And it’s often just not that pretty when it does but yet, still ends up being beautiful!  How does that happen?

Divine Imperfection. Hebrews 5: 8, 9 AMP “Although He was a Son, He learned [active, special] obedience through what He suffered And [His completed experience] making Him perfectly [equipped], He became the Author and Source of eternal salvation to all those who give heed and obey Him.”

Christ – the SON OF GOD – had a mission of suffering to make Him perfect for His own role. Do we have any Christ-followers here?

It is our imperfection that empowers our strength. Our confidence. Our stories. Our businesses. Our future. Our imperfection endears us to our audience. It validates our authenticity. It is a witness to our humanity. It expands our influence. With perfection, there is no suffering. Without suffering, we are are not empowered to be effective in our most important roles in the Divine Plan.

I challenge you to own it! Affirm in comments below. Tweet it! Believe it! Live it!

“I embrace my imperfection! I am empowered by it!”

Incidentally, I won the poster competition. A judge even remarked about how much he loved the birds. (And yes, the pun was intended!)  Imperfection = Winning Masterpiece.

Greatest lesson ever learned: See the birds!