So, this morning before leaving for my morning jog, I decide to browse the Google Play Store for a good running app. A friend had shared his running time from the Nike+ app on Facebook sometime back so I decided to check out the app. I usually go to the reviews section to see what other users had to say about the app so I start there. As much as I found users that commented positively about the app saying that it was great, there were those who complained about it hanging at some point, others complaining about difficulty in syncing the data online, etc. The negative comments kinda convinced me against downloading the app so I go on and check two others, Endomondo and miCoach. Same thing. Many people praising the different aspects of the apps, other people complaining about other aspects. For a moment, I was convinced that none of them were good enough and that I could go on my run without using any of them. In the end, however, I downloaded the Nike+ app and so far, so good. It had some really nice features. It was a bit slow in loading some pages, but all in all, I like it!
So, what’s the lesson here? In looking for a running app, I was looking for a flawless one, one that had 100% positive reviews (yeah, I know, ambitious). Not finding one left me in a place of indecision, I couldn’t decide which app to select, or whether to go on without downloading any. Many times in seeking to find a life partner (read spouse), we tend to look for someone that’s flawless i.e. deep with God, outright gorgeous, perfect character, great sense of humour, can cook, can bake, is a Mr. Fix it, etc, and end up being stranded because we don’t find this person. I can’t remember where I heard someone sharing about this but they said that when you see a man/woman who’s been married for a number of years who appears to be the perfect man/woman, you need to be aware that that probably isn’t the same person who got married some years back. A lot of change has taken place in between the years to get him/her to that place, change that the spouse has probably had to endure. The point I’m trying to make is that nobody is perfect. We all, as Christians, are in the process of being moulded into the image of Christ, and this is a journey that will last the whole of our lives. In looking for a mate, what we need to focus on is the core stuff:
1) Is this person in love with God i.e. is God the number 1 authority in their lives?
2) Do we share the same love/purpose i.e. are moving in the same direction?
Even though the Nike+ app isn’t completely perfect, it fulfilled it’s core purpose. I was able to track my running, and at the same time enjoy my favourite music. Something I’ve noticed about the apps in the Google Play Store is that many of them are often being updated. Once a user identifies a problem with the app, they alert the creators of the app, who then seek to solve the problem and thereafter provide an updated version of the app. In seeking to decide which guy/chic to pursue for a marriage relationship, we need to be aware that the person will not be perfect. As Christians, sometimes we look for someone who is a super Christian, when in actual sense, we’re all work in progress. The thing to look out for is not the perfect Christian, but whether the individual has a willingness to grow. Are they continuously seeking to become the person that God wants them to be? And even more important than whether THEY are seeking to become the person God wants them to be, are YOU?
To add to this, here’s a link to an awesome sermon that a was preached at Mavuno Church in February 2012, titled “Deal Breakers”: http://mavuno.wordpress.com/2012/02/12/deal-breakers/
