During my morning prayer today, the Lord asked me two fun questions. First He asked, “If something is flawed, is it bad?” and then “What is flawed?" My answers were as complicated as I could make them. To the first, I answered yes and no. Emotionally, yes. When something is flawed, I think it’s bad. But logically, no. Many great aspects of life are flawed yet nonetheless beautiful or wonderful. As for the second question, what is ‘flawed’?, I had to think a bit longer.

“Flawed” is a poorly drawn face, cracked windows, or lose gossipy lips. Most products and all people are flawed. But, by what standard? Who’s standard? And when considered, most of what we label as “flawed” is nothing more than a failure to match a standard. Then, mid-thought I heard the Lord again and this time He was smiling. In my world, an action, an object, or system, either gives life or reduces it. It’s good (flawed or not), or not good (even if flawless.) And I love life. All of it. I loved this answer. It was simple and good.

Before I left the prayer chapel, I asked the final question. If all good things give life regardless of flaws, why does it seem like some things are better than others? Again, the Lord smiled at me before answering as He does. “Only in your world is one act of love greater than another. A mighty redwood shadows a greater area than a lowly manzanita. And you’ll sit with your back against the trunk, supported and cool on a hot summer evening. But ask the bugs and critters about the hedge, and you’ll find they are as grateful for the bush as you are for the tree.”