Perfectionism

Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane all your life...I think perfectionism is based on the obsessive belief that if you run carefully enough, hitting each stepping stone just right, you won't have to die. The truth is you will die anyway and that a lot of people who aren't even looking at their feet are going to do a whole lot better than you, and have a lot more fun while they are doing it. - Anne Lamott

I was only thinking of the subject of perfectionism the other day while singing along to a worship song at church.
I read the quote from Anne Lamott today which reminded me of my thoughts and conversation on perfectionism.
To be honest I wasn't blessed (or cursed???) with perfectionism, at least it's not an obsession. I admit that I like to do thinks right and correct to the best of my ability and I've sometimes been disappointed with some of the things I've done and delighted at others.
I can  echo the idea that if you are too much of a perfectionist you're going to miss out on the FUN that's found in LIFE...

Back to the worship song. I just couldn't sing the line 'His (God's) works are perfect...' My thoughts raced back to the creation story in Genesis where God looked at his creation and concluded that it was VERY GOOD. His creation/works are very good. He didn't use the word 'perfect'. Behind the word 'Perfection/perfect' is the idea of something that can't be bettered, it's come to its completion...
You see, I don't think that God's works, his creation (including humanity) have come to their completion - we're 'works in progress' ...

This understanding frees us. Liberates us to take risks and to press on...
if we fall flat on our face, we can pick ourselves up and start again...
It's better to accomplish something (however little it may be) than to be paralyzed with fear of failure.

I don't think God is looking for perfection. I think he's rather looking for progress.
He'd prefer that we simply try and to trust in his grace.
Remembering that we are works in progress!