"Perfection is the ideal to aim for. But imperfection is the reality we have to work with every day." Second Home Affairs Minister, Mr K. Shanmugam, in his maiden speech at parliament yesterday, in response to the recent security lapses (i.e. MSK escape, escape attempt by 2 accused persons from the subordinate courts, and the father who successfully went through customs with his son's passport). 

My immediate reaction to this statement when I read it in the papers was like "Wow! Is Mr Shanmugam a Christian or what?" What he said was in essence how our Christian life should be! The verse that popped into my mind straightaway was what Paul said to the church in Corinth in 2 Cor 13. His parting words in the letter were: "Aim for perfection." We are instructed to aim for the perfection embodied by Jesus. 

However, there is a second part to it. The minister wasn't making excuses for the grave blunders by MHA, but highlighting a serious truth. In increasingly complex operating terrain, it was impossible for MHA to derive foolproof measures. And that was the reality; there are bound to be limitations and we can only aim for the ideal. So the Christian relevance? We live amidst the seductive temptations in the world and our severe human limitations like our lack of faith, self-doubt, laziness, limited resolve, etc, interfere with our ability to be perfect. 

So do you think God expects us to be perfect and without a blemish like Christ, just as how the Singaporean community expects MHA to be completely immune to security lapses? I don't think so...even the great apostle Paul admitted in Philipians 3:12 that he was not perfect yet. Amazingly, our God is the most magnanimous and forgiving God. When we lapse, He allows us to turn back and repent. You don't believe that there is no sin too big that God won't forgive? Chapter 33 of 2 Chronicles narrates the story of Manasseh who did a crap load of evil in God's eyes by defiling the land with Asherah poles and Baal altars, but "in his distress he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. And when he prayed to Him, the Lord was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea" (2 Chron 33: 12-13). For those of you who feel that you have sinned greatly and are too unworthy to be forgiven, please know that God wants to forgive you. Every sheep matters such that the Shepherd will find means to seek that sheep again. 

I struggle a lot with self-doubt and skepticism about God's ability to turn situations around. I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in this struggle. So many times I've tried to take charge of my circumstances. At times I do my utmost to appear to others as though I were in control. We don't like to lose control or seem as though we have, don't we? We think it makes us look weak and lousy. It's a huge blow that punctures our self esteem and sends our pride to the dumps. We want to be the best vocalist, best guitarist, best drummer, best at whatever we do! But you know what, when everything goes too well, when we excel at everything we do and when we are well-provided for and wealthy in every aspect, it is easy to be lulled into a complacency and self-sufficiency. That's when we adopt the false sense of security that we don't need God to survive and we don't need His blessings. It's dangerous. It is also possible that God withholds certain talents from us because He knows we can potentially fall into this trap if we weren't strong enough (Read Matthew 25:15). 

Do you know that when we admit that we aren't that strong after all, and that we actually need to rely on God, He is actually pleased? In Isaiah 66, the Lord says this:

"This is the one I esteem:

he who is humble and contrite in spirit, 

and trembles at my word"

This line simply means that the Lord likes those who are humble, sorry for their wrongdoings, and respectful of His Word. 

In Matthew 5, Jesus gives the Sermon on the Mount and taught the Beatitudes. Those who are "blessed" or rather favored by God, are those who are "poor in spirit"--people who are not self-conceited but recognize that they have a void or emptiness which requires God's divine provision. Because we are imperfect, we must realize that we can only depend on God. And those who choose to are blessed. 

I hope that when you feel lousy, you will remember this verse written by Paul when he felt tormented. It is one of my favorites which encourages me when I feel horrible about myself. I printed it out on big font and pasted the print-out on my wall in the office when I was still working in MHA. It sustained me throughout and continues to do so. 

2 Cor 12:9: 

But He (the Lord) said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ;s power may rest on me.

God is a humorous and creative God. He likes to use those whom we least expect to succeed to do great things for Him. Just like how we rejoice and celebrate when a weak character in a movie is vindicated when he defeats some baddies and defies all odds. Which one is more representative of God's power? One who can actually accomplish the feat based on his usual human ability or one who can't do so with his own natural ability. Of course, it is much easier for others to believe that God's divine intervention was at work when the latter succeeds. So moral of the story? If you think you are weak, boast about it and proclaim confidently that God can help you overcome all odds! Remember strive for perfection but don't let your imperfections get you down.