Imperfection

This past week, I led a Bible study on the story of Rebekah. Her story begins in Genesis 24 and goes on from there, and I would definitely encourage you to read it as you have time. To me, it’s a very interesting story because Rebekah (just like all of us) is a very multi-faceted person. Her story begins with a demonstration of courage and strength, in which Rebekah leaves her homeland to join a marriage to a stranger, because she feels it is in the will of God and would be best for her family. However, much later in her life, we see that strength shift in to manipulation and overbearance as she leads her son down a path that includes lying and the theft of the birthright/blessing from his twin brother. She ends up greatly damaging all of the family relationships in her life, yet she is redeemed in posterity as she is a direct ancestor in the lineage of Christ.

                I don’t know about you, but it is so encouraging to me that the characters of the Bible (save God/Jesus) are pretty much all imperfect people. It is such a comfort to know that God’s plan for the world includes people who sin, who make mistakes, and who often have a hard time learning and even go on to make the same mistake again! While I wish I was different, I can be pretty stubborn, and it can take awhile for me to learn a lesson.

                However, I feel like I am in good company. Just think of David, who committed adultery (and had Bathsheba’s husband killed to boot); of Paul, who began his life by attacking the followers of Christ, of Peter, who denied Christ three times after he had JUST promised that he would never do that, and of Jonah, who ran from God so hard that he ended up stranded in the belly of whale. Yet, God successfully used each of these to do amazing and important Kingdom work.  

                We all know our growth areas, and it’s not wise to ignore those. We should work hard, we should learn, we should do better, and we should continue to look more like Christ every day. Without question. Think back to your life five years ago—are you stronger now than you were then? Have you faced obstacles that you have successfully tackled? Are there rough edges that have softened, and gaps that have been filled in? Celebrate that and know that as long as you continue to do those things that you know cause growth, even when they aren’t easy, that you will be even further along five years from now!

                But, it’s also pretty phenomenal to think that we can be used as we are now. While God will continue to grow us, God will not wait to use until we are “complete.” Allow God to use you in the now, despite your inadequacies.  We are all inadequate. That’s kind of the point, though, isn’t it? We are inadequate, but He is not. He will fill in those gaps for us, and will provide what we need to take our next steps in service to Him. Continue in obedience, and God will transform our weaknesses in to characteristics that God can use for good.