...Not Have Your Act Together

Today was part of an anomaly I like to call "Get Your Act Together Tuesdays." Most people are familiar with the phenomenon "Case of the Mondays", however, Mondays aren't such an issue for me. Mondays require A-game. I take extra time to prepare for Mondays, remembering that I have to get up early again. I always have events going on after work on Mondays too, which forces me to budget my energy for the whole day.

No, Mondays aren't my problem.

But Tuesdays...Tuesdays I put my guard down. It is on Tuesdays that you will find me without mascara, waiting in line at Taco Bell. Seriously, without fail, on the second day of the work week, I forget prior commitments and find myself floundering.

After realizing this ridiculous pattern in my life, I recall saying vehemently under my breath before a meeting "ASHLEY, CAN YOU GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER?!" Although, considering it was a Tuesday, it probably wasn't the word "act" that came out of my mouth...

Inevitably, the fact that I forgot to send that report and my hair is only half curled leads me to believe my entire life is a failure. Don't ask me how I make this astronomical leap. As a culture though, I think we love this concept of being a "hot mess".

/Hot Mess/ An attractive person, generally female, that repeatedly engages in situations which could negatively impact his or her social, mental, societal, and legal reputation.

The other day I tweeted "Sometimes the biggest thing that causes me to have a meltdown about how not-together my life is is my inability to find my sheet in my bed." Somehow this warranted, not just one or two, but many "favorites" from twitter users I have never met. Mostly, in Japan.

Despite our affection for faux pas in a seemingly normal person's life, this grace does not always extend to Christians. Whether or not self-inflicted, it's as though the world expects perfection from those who call themselves "Christians." Even worse, fellow believers hold one another to such a high standard that a simple slip-up seems earth-shatteringly detrimental.

In a reminiscent conversation with an old friend, I laughed about something rude I once said to him. Apologetically I said, "Thank God I'm not who I once was." He responded, "But I thought you've always been a Christian."

Yup, he meant exactly what he said: because I knew Christ, I had no excuse to act the way I did.

This exchange made me feel as though I only deserve grace when I'm doing things right. That entire thought process is a contradiction in terms, as "grace", by definition, is "unmerited."

I'll be the first to confess to you: I have no idea what I want to do with my life (seriously, one day I want to be a farm-stay and the next, a New York City executive). Sometimes I'm rude to people without meaning to be. Sometimes I forget to send things on time. And I usually wait until I'm totally out of underwear to do any laundry.

My life is not 100% together. But that has more to do with the fact that I'm a human than it does that I'm a Christian.

I know this because, even though man often expects perfection, God doesn't. Nowhere does the bible say "Being perfect makes you holy."

At first glance, Proverbs 4 (and passages of the like) may seem like they could cause my entire argument to crumble. The section lists a few dos and don'ts, summed up with:"Keep my commands, and you will live." Rather than stringent guidelines, however, this section of scripture allows the reader room to "seek". Verse 5 doesn't say "be wise already", it says "seek wisdom." The freedom to grow is built into God's call for our obedience. How beautiful.

I think this applies to every aspect of our lives as Christ-followers. My pastor often uses the phrase "We're not better because we have Christ, we're better off".

Seeking righteousness in Christ doesn't require me to have a 5-Year Plan, a perfect filter on my mouth, permanent smile, or even a flawless Tuesday.

This is not an attempt to justify my laziness or bad habits. But it's the truth.

If you haven't seen/read Silver Linings Playbook, please do so immediately.