Romans 6:23 “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.”
As we stepped through the door of the charming little shop, my eyes caught on a cluster of small Post-it notes clinging to the weathered wooden frame. A simple sign beside them read, “Please take one.”
One note drew me in immediately, almost as if the Lord Himself had hung a glowing neon sign with flashing arrows pointing straight at it: This is for you. The soft pink paper bore these words in neat handwriting: “God wants your love, not your perfection.” In that quiet moment, the message landed like a tender whisper to my soul—freeing, reassuring, and exactly what I needed to hear.
How I struggle with my perfection that eludes me. I love how the Bible describes our sin. The Bible tells us no one is righteous, no one is truly wise, no one does good. It even tells us our talk is foul, like stench, which means our tongues are full of lies. Even when we talk, snake venom drips from our lips. Destruction and misery follow us. Yet even in our imperfection, thank God, He has shown us how we can be made right by placing our faith in Jesus Christ.
Does God keep a score of all the wrongs that we do day in and day out? Can our imperfections disqualify us from entering into the pearly gates we long for?
The Bible doesn’t tell us to get our act together first. It tells us to come as we are. David, after he had wrecked everyone's lives, cried out to the Lord to create in him “a clean heart, oh God.” He didn’t say fix me, so I deserve you, but instead fix me because I can’t fix myself. God isn’t waiting for polished perfection. He knows that can’t happen. He is chasing after the broken, the one who keeps saying Lord, I goofed again. I keep coming back in all my brokenness, and He says He still loves me even with my flaws.
That little pink Post-it note was a love note to me. He was telling me, Michele, I see you. I don’t need you fixed, I just need you here with Me.
– Michele
