The Paradox of Imperfection

In the book, Golf and the Spirit, the late Harvard psychiatrist Scott Peck, uses the game of golf as a metaphor for life. One chapter is entitled, “Penalties and Perfection,” says, “One of the most important principles of golf, and perhaps its most sustaining principle [is this]: No golfer is so good that he doesn’t occasionally hit a bad shot, and no golfer is so poor that he doesn’t occasionally hit a good one.”

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Not everyone plays golf, but everyone can understand what Peck describes. The paradox of “some good-some bad” finds expression every day. The poignant appeal of a father in the Bible as he pleads with Jesus to care for his demon-possessed son expresses the tension, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24 NRSVUE). We are good but do some bad things; we are bad, but do some good things.

The first part of our paradox finds us striving for the best. Ideals carry us forward towards loving our spouse, helping our neighbor, or excelling in our work. We believe that the energy and skill we need will achieve it.

The second part of the paradox comes with the shock of failure and disappointment hitting us like cold water on the face. We fight at home, gripe at the neighbor’s barking dog, and dream more of vacation time than meeting the quota at work.

In our spiritual journey even the saintliest person sins. We judge others, have lust in our hearts, sacrifice our integrity with lies, hate our enemies, worry about today and tomorrow—the list goes on and on. Each day we must come to our God to ask forgiveness about the same things we asked for yesterday, and the day before that. Imperfection is our modus operandi.

Maybe the paradox doesn’t shock us as much as the divine response. Jesus heals the boy even with the father’s unbelief. Imperfection does not deter the perfection of divine love. Reflecting on the message of the Biblical prophets of Israel, Richrd Rohr writes, “After listing all their sins, Yahweh shouts almost in these words, “I could give up on you, but I will love you even more—and even more generously and undeservedly!’”[1]

God’s love overcomes our paradox of imperfection. The traitor Peter later preaches at Pentecost. The murderer Saul becomes the great missionary. The slave trader John Newton becomes a pastor and author of “Amazing Grace.” Each of us, though falling short, is capable of extraordinary good.

Golfers sometimes move from triple bogey to a hole-in-one. Husbands are jerks and gentlemen. Accept the paradox and tee up another shot in the journey you are making. Both sides of the paradox are OK with God.

[1] Richard Rohr, The Tears of Things. Convergent Peguin Random House, 2025, P 122