Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘LORD, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'
Matthew 25:37-40
I have a confession to make, “I am NOT perfect!” As much as I try, I fail miserably. But being imperfect does not mean I am not loved and that I am lost forever. As a child of God, I have the gift He’s given me – GRACE.
Here are some of my imperfections:
I talk more than I listen
I have great ideas but never follow through
I find excuses for not serving others
I focus more on my sin than on God, who has forgotten all about it
I please ‘MAN’ while ignoring God
Any of these sound familiar to you? We all need that grace freely given to us by God. I have a book recommendation: “The Gifts of Imperfection,” by Brené Brown. She writes candidly and honestly about her imperfections and how we can embrace our imperfections and become our true selves. I read it several years ago and probably need to reread it.
My life looks much different than it did a year, pandemic aside. I got laid off in May. I have decided to move closer to my mother, who is aging and needs help. I am rethinking my financial strategies for the long term. And pondering the idea of becoming a full-time missionary.
I am stepping aside from my dreams from a year ago and letting God direct my path. As I said before, it is not easy, but if I don’t take the risk, I will live with regret. And, I do not want to live with the shame of not trying! I, most of all, want to be more like Jesus, sharing His message of love, hope, and peace.
I am presenting the lyrics to Zach Williams’ song, “Less Like Me,” because the words speak to how I want to be. You can find the video on YouTube.
"Less Like Me" recorded by Zach Williams Songwriters: Zach Williams / Hank Bentley / Mia Fields Less Like Me lyrics © Capitol CMG Amplifier, Every Square Inch Oh, I have days I lose the fight Try my best but just don't get it right Where I talk a talk that I don't walk And miss the moments right before my eyes Somebody with a hurt that I could have helped Somebody with a hand that I could have held When I just can't see past myself Lord, help me be A little more like mercy, a little more like grace A little more like kindness, goodness, love, and faith A little more like patience, a little more like peace A little more like Jesus, a little less like me Yeah, there's no denying I have changed 'Cause I've been saved from who I used to be But even at my best, I must confess I still need help to see the way You see Somebody with a hurt that I could have helped Somebody with a hand that I could have held When I just can't see past myself Lord, help me be A little more like mercy, a little more like grace A little more like kindness, goodness, love, and faith A little more like patience, a little more like peace A little more like Jesus, a little less like me Oh, I wanna feed the beggar on the street Learn to be Your hands and feet Freely give what I receive Lord, help me be I wanna put You first above all else Love my neighbor as myself In the moments no one sees Lord, help me be (One, two, three) A little more like mercy, a little more like grace A little more like kindness, goodness, love, and faith A little more like patience, a little more like peace A little more like Jesus, oh, a little less like me A little more of living everything I preach A little more like Jesus, a little less like me Oh, a little less like me
