I was talking to a friend the other day about how "perfect people" are so annoying.  We bantered about how consoling it is to have close personal friendships with people who will admit, and even allow us to see at times, their imperfections.  "Perfect people," on the other hand, make you feel so awfully insecure.  Now of course the idea of any mere mortal actually being perfect is a myth; however, we have all experienced the feeling of insecurity in the presence of someone who is far better than us at some specific thing, or numerous (perhaps seemingly all) things - and in such cases we brand this type of person with the label, "Little Miss Perfect", or "Mr. Perfect", or we might even go so far as to say something along the lines of, "So and so acts as if they are God."

Truly there is something to be said for being open, honest, and transparent with one another.  In other words, it is good for all of us to admit that we are indeed imperfect, and it is appropriate that we would genuinely experience a sense of real fellowship in sharing/confessing common struggles and imperfections.  However, let us admit that the most significant reason we hate "perfect people" is because of how we feel in their presence; at the end of day what bothers us most is the fact that WE ARE INDEED IMPERFECT!  We don't like to feel insecure.  We don't like to be called "sinful" or "evil".  We don't like the feeling of failure ...heck we don't even like to experience the possibility of failure (this is called "fear of failure" or "fear of rejection").  Having a relationship with someone who is better than us, or more competent than us, at something(s) tears down our facade of confidence - and we are left exposed for the weak, anxious, doubtful, timid, sinful, frail creatures we really are.  And it certainly does not help matters that the normal attitude of someone superior toward an inferior is that of proud boasting or at least subtle hints which communicate, "Let us keep one thing straight - I am better than you."

So, we have a problem with "perfect people".  Some of our complaints against the "perfect" walking amongst us are legit, but most of our complaints are nothing more than a personal pity party.

But let's suppose that a genuinely perfect person were to come along.  And let's suppose this person did NOT flaunt their perfection, but rather approached you and engaged you in an extremely humble way.  In fact, let's suppose this person was JUST LIKE YOU in every way minus the imperfections - meaning, he knew intimately what your struggles were like, for he himself experienced the battle against any and all temptations.  As you get know this perfect man you come to realize that part of his being perfect is that he does not have any insecurities, and therefore he does not feel the need to lord his perfection over you.  Let's say y'all get to talking one day and you learn that he was born to average blue-collar folks in a small town.  He grew up working in the family carpentry business, and never really called attention to himself or the fact that he was perfect.  The more you hang out with him the more you are comforted by him, but at the same time you are intrigued (and sometimes even confused) by him, because after all - he is perfect, and your imperfections sometimes hinder your ability to fully comprehend him and his ways of perfection.  One day, in light of his humble perfection he invites you to become his follower, and you accept (heck, you got nothing better to do).  And you begin to learn (slowly but surely) more about who he is, and about what perfection is, and he is training you and teaching you all about perfection in an extraordinarily bold yet humble way.  You really struggle to understand a lot of what he says, and you really struggle with some of his statements about how he is not simply a perfect man, but that he himself is actually the embodiment of perfection, and that the starting point for you learning how to be perfect is by first becoming united with him (i.e. marrying him), and resting in the reality that he is your perfection - and that perfection in thought, word, and deed flows from that relationship with him.  The more you hang out with him, the more you truly see your own imperfection, but as odd as it sounds you find yourself feeling less and less insecure about it - almost like there is less of you to be insecure about your imperfections because more of your identity, and sense of worth is being found not in you, but in him.  As y'all talk, there are times when he mentions that he is eventually going to lay down his life for you, he tells you that it's not just his perfection that he want so share with you, but he also wants to take the blame for all of your imperfections and mistakes and offenses.  And sure enough, one day a group of "important" people show up and drag him away.  They are very upset with him for claiming to be perfect.  They don't really look at the evidence to truly discern whether or not he is perfect, they are simply sold on the idea that - perfect or not - this guy should be put to death for making the rest of us feel so insecure!  They mutter things to each other like, “How dare this guy act as if we had any "desperate need" for him to come along and ‘be perfect’ for us and ‘rescue us from our sins’!”  So they kill him.  You're confused.  3 days later the perfect friend that you met 3 years prior comes to your house!  And you're like, "I thought you were dead?"  To which he replies, "I did die, I was dead, but I'm not dead anymore."  Y'all hang out for the next few weeks, and he continues to talk to you about who he is, and he continues to teach you all the stuff he has always been teaching you.  He explains to you that he is the King of kings, and that everything (literally, spiritually - EVERYTHING) was created by him, and it was created for him, and therefore it all belongs to him.  He tells you that he is going away to his palace/his throne, and that he is going to be getting a room ready for you.  In the meantime, while he is away, he says that he's gonna send a "helper" - a person you can't see, but who is more real and more helpful than anything that can be seen.  He looks you in the eye, and he says, "You are my friend!  I love you!  I did all of this - I lived and I died - FOR YOU!  You are my brother!  You and all those who believe in me and follow me - y'all are my bride!  My beloved!  I'm going to go away now, but I will be back to get you!  Don't ever doubt that.  I pursued you in coming to do what needed to be done this time around, and you better believe I'm coming back to seal the deal!  The helper will give you the courage, and strength, and clarity of mind to persevere and wait for my return.”

I don't know, if I met a perfect person who was like that, I think that would be pretty good.