Good vs. Perfect

In our western worldview, we want to be perfect all the time. We idolize the “ideal” body, publish our filtered lives,
and broadcast our virtual, and virtually perfect, realities. In his message on Sunday, Pr. Chris argued for an alternative
view of life, one wherein “we are not after perfection” but are instead “after goodness.” Goodness, after all, is where
the biblical story begins. Seven times in the creation story, God declares his new world to be “good” (Heb: טוֹב/ ֑
Pronunced: tov). As a part of God’s good creation, we were made “to be a good gift to the world, not a perfect gift.”
“Perfection,” Pr. Chris said, “is static, unimprovable, and unchanging.” In contrast, goodness is dynamic, a process,
and full of grace.” Goodness makes room for, and gives grace amidst, flaws. It understands that everything is in the
process of becoming. Creation was declared good, but it was not declared perfect or complete. Part of creation’s
goodness is that it has the capacity to become and continue becoming. We see this when a seed falls to the ground. It
experiences a type of death and becomes something new as it shoots forth in new life. That is creation in the process
of becoming and it’s full of goodness. We see this also with humanity. New little humans are born and it’s messy, hard
and hardly perfect–but it’s good. Indeed, it’s very good. “Good” reflects the reality of the world God has made.
“Perfect” does not. In a good world, there is room for forgiveness. In a perfect world, there is not.