Our social media- and AI-filled world has no room for imperfection.
Flawed photos, objects, and even people hold no value and are usually discarded. If a phone has a cracked screen, we throw it out and get a new one. Not long ago, a famous Instagram couple went viral for aborting their unborn baby upon receiving the diagnosis of Down syndrome. “If it’s imperfect, get rid of it” is the mantra of our day. Missionaries are not exempt from this pressure to be perfect. If a ministry isn’t hugely successful, it’s tempting to give up and try something else.
But are imperfect things always useless? Is it logical to infer that because something doesn’t function on the highest level, it has no value at all?
God’s Word makes it clear that imperfect does not mean useless. God does not see our imperfections as a reason to discard us. Instead, he uses our imperfections to humble us and show us that we need a Savior. The broken tax collector who cried out, “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner” went home justified (Luke 18:13). The sinful woman who broke the alabaster jar of perfume at Jesus’s feet received forgiveness for her sins (Luke 7:36-50). Realizing we’re imperfect is the first step to recognizing we need a perfect Savior.
As missionaries, we can fall into the trap of thinking that if we’re imperfect, we’re useless, but this is not true. Scripture is full of examples of God using imperfect people and imperfect circumstances for ministry.
Imperfect People in Scripture
The Old Testament gives us many examples of imperfect people serving God faithfully. Abraham had moments when his relationship with God was strong, but at other times he doubted God’s promises and, in his brokenness, tried to manipulate situations to fulfill God’s calling on his life. Despite this, God made Abraham the father of the Israelite nation. Moses had a speech impediment, but God still used him to lead the people out of Egypt. The Israelites, God’s chosen people, were called to be a light for the nations but didn’t shine very brightly. They often doubted God’s goodness and turned to idols. Particularly in the Book of Judges, we see a cycle of repentance, obedience, and then turning away from God, leading to captivity. The judges themselves were often incredibly flawed, lacking courage like Gideon or character like Samson, but God used them to rescue his people. Ultimately, it was through the Israelite nation that God brought his Son, the Messiah, into the world.
In the New Testament, we continue to see times when life and ministries were far from perfect. After Peter denied Jesus, Jesus himself restored him and made him a leader in the church. Paul had a sharp disagreement with Barnabas over whether to include Mark on a missionary journey, but God used their separation to reach more people with the gospel.
Imperfect Circumstances in Scripture
Not all imperfection is the result of sin. Even our heroes of the faith encountered times when their situations were far from perfect. Sometimes the most righteous men suffered terrible tragedies. Honorable Job lost his children, wealth, and health. Elijah called down fire from heaven, defeating the prophets of Baal, only to find himself chased by Jezebel and depressed to the point of death. Hosea was called to love a prostitute and endured seasons without his wife’s faithfulness. Jeremiah fulfilled God’s prophetic calling on his life but ended up thrown into a filthy cistern. Paul had a thorn in his flesh that he begged God to take away. John found himself banished on an island. Even Jesus, the only perfect man, wept over the death of a friend and felt discouraged by the failures of his closest disciples.
Imperfect Missionaries
As missionaries, we know our families, ministries, and personal lives aren’t usually functioning perfectly, and Satan can use this to tempt us to think we’re useless. But imperfection is no excuse to give up. Missionaries who have been on the field for decades know that some years are enjoyable, fruitful, and exciting, while others are painful, dry, and discouraging. If we expect our lives and ministries to be picture-perfect, we’re in for disappointment when those expectations aren’t met. No matter what problems we encounter on the mission field and in life, we must learn to view ourselves and our circumstances as imperfect, not useless.
When we experience unsuccessful ministry, we’re imperfect, not useless.
When we navigate teammate stress and interpersonal friction, we’re imperfect, not useless.
When we endure chronic health problems, we’re imperfect, not useless.
When we struggle with how to parent our children, we’re imperfect, not useless.
When we feel our marriage become formulaic, we’re imperfect, not useless.
When we find our spiritual life dry, we’re imperfect, not useless.
In all these situations, just because we, or our situations, are less than perfect doesn’t mean we’re hopeless. God has a way of making beauty from ashes (Isaiah 61:3). His power is made perfect in weakness. When hardships and even persecution weaken us physically, emotionally, and spiritually, God’s strength can rest on us and shine in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
Of course, some of our struggles come from our own sins and failures. We hurt people, make poor decisions, and commit cultural offenses in the places we serve. In our journey toward Christ-likeness, we keep ourselves sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s conviction and leading in our lives even as we rest in the ultimate holiness Christ imputes to his children.
Imperfection should not make us feel like failures. Rather, we need to recognize that sometimes we’re in seasons when God is choosing to glorify himself despite our failures, not because of our successes. We can take joy in knowing that even though we’re imperfect jars of clay, God can still use us to show his power and goodness (2 Corinthians 4:7). When we rest in the finished work of Christ and strive to serve God faithfully, God works within our weakness. It may take a long time, even years, but we will see fruit, if nowhere other than in our character being refined. Imperfect doesn’t mean useless. We will not be perfect until we are with Jesus, but in the meantime, we can rest assured that his power can work through us despite our imperfections.
