Flawed                           

By John W. Vander Velden

Within the human condition it is easy to overlook our own imperfections.  How simple to scan past our mistakes when we focus on those we feel blunder far worse than we.  Besides we know how we came to fail.  We know that there were reasons for our actions…logic led to the minor disasters of our lives.  Perhaps we had the best of intentions, but left the actions undone.  We like to think we were good enough and better than we could have been.

There is a logic to those thoughts, yet there is something faulty within that logic.  I, for one, recognize my imperfections.  I understand that I am flawed.  But that honest assessment doesn't remove my responsibility for my errors.  No, I must recognize that my actions result from my failing rather than my failings are caused by something beyond my control, that I just couldn’t…no matter how hard I tried…have done better.

No, I am an imperfect man, stumbling along, driven at times by less than stellar, selfish desires, placing my needs ahead of someone else’s…sometimes everyone else’s.  I should be ashamed, and at times I am, just not as often or as deeply as I ought to be.

But there is the redeeming factor that should not be ignored…faith.  For within faith there is an acceptance of the flawed, as I am…if…  If I take responsibility for my actions.  If I strive to learn from my mistakes.  If those errors are used to teach me, and learning I improve.  Faith does not make me “instantly” perfect.  Faith does not erase the stupid things I will do tomorrow…or the days after. 

For I know that GOD loves me flaws and all.  And my love of GOD drives this flawed man to try just a little harder, doing my part to over come my weaknesses.  I will never be perfect, but I should never stop my journey on the road toward perfection…even flawed as I am.  

(334 Words)  6-21-2017