Consistent is Good Enough

Mothers are obsessed with being perfect. Let’s just be honest.

Christian mothers especially – in our desire to be righteous – desire also to be utterly flawless in pursuing God and raising kids.

Problem is, we don’t lose our humanity when we invite Christ into our hearts. And knowing Bible verses does not guarantee impeccable living or perfect decision-making. We need to get off the road of perfectionism because it’s headed for a cliff, driven by the engine of pride.

Instead, I ask you to consider consistency instead of perfection as a measure of how well you are mothering. Have you ever thought about simply being consistent in your service to God and family?

I had never thought of this until our whole family received the following text message from Michael, the guy who grew up as the only boy in the family. He’s 27 now:

“It isn’t perfect, but it’s consistent enough.”

“Consistent enough.”

For moms that may mean:

Consistent love.
Consistent seeking of forgiveness.
Consistent trying to pursue God, going to church.

How about consistent discipline and training children by pointing them to obedience and their own relationship with God?Consistent discipline and consistent praise are like sun and water in the lives of children, helping them grow. It’s best to start when they are young, but older children need discipline too and a ton of grace.

Not much money, but consistent.

Not perfect, but consistent.

I failed a lot with my kids, including Michael. They tease me on occasion about the ways I was too hard on them. So it’s humbling to know that consistency was still a good thing. It’s a blessing to have a grown child who sees what’s important, who is “thankful for grace and all the examples” in his family.

We’re grateful for Michael too. He’s gone from this little guy in suspenders: