I'm Just Too Perfect For Words

When a boss is at a dead end with an employee, it can inspire some real eloquence. Here are a few samples of frustrated bosses' evaluations of their less than competent employees that appeared on a humour website:

1) This employee doesn’t have both his oars in the water.
2) If he were any more passive, we'd have to water him twice a week.
3) When she opens her mouth, it's only to change feet.
4) Some people drink from the fountain of wisdom and knowledge, he gargles.
5) He is depriving some village of an idiot.
6) It takes her an hour and a half to watch ‘60 Minutes.’
7) And finally: I thought this country outlawed genetic research.

We can only imagine what those employees must have been like. Yet there's not one of us who hasn’t merited a similar evaluation at some time or other. Not one of us! How can that be? We're smart, well motivated, and good-hearted.

It's the mystery that we face every day of our lives, as we look at ourselves, our children, our spouses, our friends! How can such good people strive so hard and still screw up so badly? It's the human condition: God made us good, but we're just not done yet — not near done.

That’s not the best of news! But if we come to terms with it, we know what we have to do: Forget the word ‘perfect’ forever! There is no perfect husband, wife, child, friend, or in-law. No perfect marriage, no perfect family, no perfect anything — and there never will be. So what are we going to do with the messy reality of life, with all the loose ends and gravelly parts of our relationships — all the stuff that frustrates and makes us angry?

Jesus showed us what to do. He had a very clear fix on every one of the people around Him. He knew that Peter was something of a blowhard, but He saw something more in him. He knew Judas was a thief, but He saw something more in him too. So Jesus focused on that ‘something more.’ He walked with them both, and day-by-day and tried to bring out the good in them — it was there in both. With Peter He succeeded in drawing it out. With Judas He failed.

That’s all that Jesus asks of us as we struggle with the frustrations of our own weaknesses and those of our spouses, kids, and friends. Instead of attacking or ridiculing or walking away from them, focus on that ‘something more’ in them.

Walk with them, gently, as Jesus walked with His people. Walk patiently as Jesus walks with you and me. We owe it to them, precisely because Jesus is doing it for us every day.

The marvel is that as we walk with people and leave our judgments and verdicts behind, they’ll get better — slowly. They’ll get better because we’re walking with them and hoping in them. And, almost miraculously, we’ll get better too.

So let us walk kindly and humbly, remembering our own endless need for forgiveness and understanding. Hope and healing are the gifts we have to give. Let us give them with understanding hearts!



Compassionate God; lead us to find the clarity, to see beyond the surface, and to find beauty in every person we meet. Help us to set aside our own petty judgements so that we may always find good in everyone we meet. For when we see weakness in others, we fail to remember our own. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen