Imperfectly Imperfect
by Elizabeth Price
In a small shop, I found the perfect card for a special birthday. The picture on the front was beautiful and the wording was appropriate. The Bible text printed alongside was a gem.
I purchased it eagerly and took it home to wrap with the gift for the occasion. Then I signed it. However, before I slipped it into the envelope, I casually re-read the message printed in it. There was something wrong. I shook my head and read it again, more carefully. There was still something wrong.
There was a simple printing error in its message. It quite spoiled the meaning and made a nonsense of the sentence. By one small mistake, my beautiful card was ruined, my loving wishes distorted.
It possibly began as a typist's error, slipped into the printing process and was now, as they say, "set in concrete." It had been reproduced and sent out to the world.
Anybody purchasing this card got damaged goods. It should be withdrawn from the market and trashed, if only to preserve the good name of the company. Yet it was such a lovely card and was everything I needed for the occasion.
No, I could not complain, could not report it, could not give it over to be trashed. If everything damaged was cast off and trashed, where would we be? Are we not all damaged goods?
I took a bottle of correcting fluid and very tenderly wiped out the error.
It reminded me of how the Lord treats his damaged goods: [God said] "I am the Lord; for my own sake I wipe out your transgressions and remember your sins no more." (Isaiah 43:25)
Posted: 10/02/2003
URL: http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200310/20031002_imperfect.htmlCopyright (c) 2003, Elizabeth Price <liz@justaminute.cjb.net>. Used by permission. Elizabeth is a member of the JUST A MINUTE <http://www.justaminute.faithweb.com> writing team.
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