To The Perfect Woman...And Those Who Aren't

I have read many articles lately on that “perfect wife and mother”.  They all end the same.  Another woman sees this "perfect" woman at everything she does… and feels like a failure.   Until she sees the flaws of that woman!  That perfect woman has her off days too.  Hmm…”I feel better!” the other woman says. 

These articles are baloney. Some women do pretty much have it all together. They keep their weight down, dress nice, work a job, keep their houses clean and cook homemade meals.  That is good.  That is OK.  

Shh, they have a secret to their EXCELLENCE (not perfection).  It is called character and hard work.  

Oh, not what you were expecting, right? 

So instead of receiving applause for their diligence...their dirty laundry is aired by those who need to feel better about themselves and their short comings.  Oh, not by them!  By those who feel inferior to them.  Yes, every person has dirty laundry.  They have an unmade bed…dirty dishes in their sink…dust on the windowsill.   They, however, do not air their faults and failures.  They are not hiding them so that others think they are perfect.  

They just have enough common sense to know that a mature adult does not tell all.

They then go back to work and fix what needs to be done.

I remember one time we had a new family begin to attend our church.  On the outside, it appeared this woman had the one-up on me!  In my naturally sinful state, I tried to find an area that I excelled in more than she did.  (That was hard to find!)  And I found myself to point of disliking her...when I didn't even know her and simply for the fact she appeared to have it together...more than me!  Do you realize how frustrated you will make yourself? 

 I was trying to make myself feel better about my weaknesses when in reality, I had simply invited jealousy, bitterness, evil speaking into my heart.

How unfair we have become to those women who simply work hard and mind their own.  

And what a trap of comparing ourselves have we fallen into and have validated it to build our self-worth.

 

We as a society have chosen to say “No child left behind” to EVERY facet of our lives…it is OK to fail.  As long as you are trying.  We have taken the word failure out of our vocabulary because it causes us to be depressed.  It causes our self-worth to dwindle.  We feel "bad" about ourselves.  We have accepted this philosophy as women in general and we are passing it on to our children.

To the two groups of women mentioned I say:

   1. Instead of when we fail and look to find someone else who has failed, seek out a person who is a success and who has EXCELLED in that area of failure.  

   Study.  Observe.  Find out what they have done to EXCEL and apply it to your life.

    2. Stop comparing!  

    There are two people we should compare ourselves to: 

The Lord Jesus Christ.   

 And yourself yesterday.  

You will ALWAYS find something in your life to improve on when you read God's Word.  And you will never grow if you do not look at yesterday and try to improve on that.

    3. Realize that every person has strengths and weaknesses.  

   Don’t compare your weaknesses to their strengths. 

And don’t use your weaknesses as an excuse to stay where you are! 

Build on your strengths AND build on your weaknesses.

Women who excel…high five!  I applaud you for your hard work, consistency and character.  Keep up the good work.