Labels

Today I’ve been thinking about labels; the adjective kind not the sticker kind. I don’t know why these thoughts came to me today but they just did. So what about labels? The world is full of them. Rich, poor, loser, winner, conservative, happy, good, bad, ugly, beautiful, sweet, smart, cranky, lazy, energetic, positive, negative, liberal, funny, dull, you get the idea. It seems for every “good” label there is usually an opposite label that is not so flattering.

One label in particular that crossed my mind is the idea of being perfect. Being perfect is certainly a lofty goal but for most of us perfection is not something we will attain in this life. Perfection is something we can and should strive for and work toward. But regrettably our humanness can get in the way. I think about the words in the Primary Song, “I’m Trying to Be Like Jesus.” The words, “I’m trying to be like Jesus; I’m following in his way. I’m trying to love as he did, in all that I do and say. At times I am tempted to make a wrong choice, but I try to listen as the still small voice whispers, “love one another as Jesus loves you. Try to show kindness in all that you do. Be gentle and loving in deed and in thought, for these are the things Jesus taught.”

I read once, “You can’t always be perfect, but you can have a life that’s about being something.”

The life of Christ is my perfect example. But there are others who motivate me to want have perfection in my life and that is my grandchildren. They are perfect to me. And because of them I strive toward that perfect label.