Perfection.

God is perfect. Perfection is attainable only by God. Because of the amazing grace of God, when he comes to takes us up to heaven, we will be perfect like him, because of him. (1John.3.2)
Until then, perfection is not something we can achieve. Certainly we strive for it (1John.3.3), but we cannot attain it completely.

Therefore, perfection is not an image we should project, yes? Please don't confuse what I'm saying... certainly we should project goodness, and truth, and righteousness... the fruits of striving to make ourselves pure, as God is pure. But perfection?

When I see "perfect" people, I get turned off, discouraged... because I can't get what they have. I can't relate to them. They look otherworldly...

I've found an amazing Love, and a perfect Friend. My heart yearns to share it with the people around me. I know that what I have is for everyone, and I know it is Truth. I want what I have to look reachable. Therefore, grace must be so evidently the cause of my joy.

People around me must see that I don't receive special treatment from God. I am being saved by grace, nothing else. I am just like them (not because there is no difference now between us, but because we both have fallen short of God's greatness, and both can only be saved by grace, not works).

If I look perfect, people will not see the grace of God in me, they will see a perfect life that they can't have. There will be no transformation evident, no working of grace and mercy. But if I am fully transparent, if I let people see the grace of God working in me to make the ugly things beautiful, they will be able to see themselves in my shoes and God's grace will seem available to them.

God has not called us to be examples of perfection, but examples of His grace in action.

Pastor Greg once said to live an open life, so that people can see you mess up, and then see you make restitution for your wrong. Let people see God change you.

Don't glorify your imperfections, but let people see God taking them out of you.

'But [Jesus] said to me, "My GRACE is SUFFICIENT FOR YOU, for my power is make PERFECT in WEAKNESS." Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me!'

2C0rinthians.12.9