In any case, I wonder if we ever bother to check the truth of that statement. How do we know that nobody's perfect? What do we think perfection is all about?
It used to be that people talked a lot about perfection as something that IS possible, with hard work and a good heart. It also used to be that there were a lot of people chewed up and abused by that kind of thinking. In trying to be more accepting and loving, we adopted phrases like: "nobody's perfect."
What if being perfect was not about never ever messing up, or being good at everything? Instead, it could mean doing the best thing at the best time; making the best possible choices. I think that is what President Roosevelt was talking about when he spoke to the nation during WW2:
What if being perfect was not about never ever messing up, or being good at everything? Instead, it could mean doing the best thing at the best time; making the best possible choices. I think that is what President Roosevelt was talking about when he spoke to the nation during WW2:
| "We shall strive for perfection. We shall not achieve it immediately—but we still shall strive. We may make mistakes—but they must never be mistakes which result from faintness of heart or abandonment of moral principle... | |
| We have learned that we cannot live alone, at peace; that our own well-being is dependent on the well-being of other nations far away. We have learned that we must live as men, not as ostriches, nor as dogs in the manger. | 11 |
| We have learned to be citizens of the world, members of the human community. | 12 |
| We have learned the simple truth, as Emerson said, that "The only way to have a friend is to be one." | 13 |
| We can gain no lasting peace if we approach it with suspicion and mistrust or with fear. We can gain it only if we proceed with the understanding, the confidence, and the courage which flow from conviction." Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 1945 inaugural address What is an ostrich? A person who uses "nobody's perfect" as an excuse to not try. What is perfect in your mind? What makes the perfect friend? Does anybody you know fit that description? | 14 |
I love your definition of being perfect as "making the best possible choices." Trying to do everything perfectly leaves one stressed and frustrated. I have been coming to the realization in my own life that the way out of this trap is to make careful, conscious decisions about how I spend my time. I actually find this much harder than trying to everything perfectly! As a Christian, I believe that making the best possible choices can only be achieved by seeking direction from God and following through with obedience.
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