I’m the opposite of a perfectionist; I’m a closenoughalist. If things aren’t perfect, so what, it could be worse. I can look at a picture on the wall and if it’s not straight I can walk right on by without fixing it. I have better things to do with my time.
I drive the
perfectionists crazy with my laissez-faire attitude, but I can’t help it. I
have my temperament and they have theirs. They may accomplish much more than I
in life, but I believe I enjoy it more. I can sit back and relax and let them
do all the work.
Not that I’m
lazy. It’s not a lazy-fair attitude I have. I’ve worked steadily over the years
and earned enough to retire. I helped at church and in the community in many
ways when I was younger and healthier. When I was in college and was employed
at the Chevy plant in Flint during the summer, I worked 16 hour shifts loading
70 pound crankshafts into a lathe. I actually enjoyed hard work.
Then I heard
the phrase, “Work smarter, not harder” and it stuck with me. So I became an
industrial salesman. My non salesman coworkers always claimed that salesmen
never work; they just drive around and talk to customers and prospects. That’s
partially true, but it’s a lot harder than it looks. Like I said before, it’s a
matter of temperament.
But notably,
I don’t relax math or money or chemistry numbers. There are absolutes, even in
the life of a closenoughalist.
God created mankind with a vast variety of temperaments and personalities, and it’s important to recognize one’s own life-type gift from God. Remember after Jesus’ friend Lazarus died? Jesus went to comfort the sisters of Lazarus, and Martha was working in the kitchen to prepare a meal, but Mary was visiting with Jesus. Martha was definitely more of a perfectionist, and I believe that Mary was more of a closenoughalist.
Jesus raised Lazarus from the grave soon after this. I
don’t think Christ is anything but perfect.
