Good Is Good Enough

I am not a perfectionist. But I do like to see a job well done. Recently, in an email exchange with a friend I was reminded, “Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.” Of course this led me to wonder if I was actually trying to be a perfectionist, or if I was just trying to be a good steward of my resources. I can certainly understand, by the intensity of my email, that I was pushing to get it right. The truth is, my goal wasn’t perfection. What I wanted was for my decisions to be thoughtful and faithful. I wanted to make good decisions.

I love the proverb: “Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.” Striving for perfection can actually hijack a project. Trying to get every detail just right can prove to be impossible, and a great project can fall apart before it ever gets started. But more importantly “good” is actually a good goal, theologically speaking. In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, each day of creation concluded with “And God saw that it was good.” Not perfect. Good. And better than good in God’s eyes is “very good.”

So often we strive for great or wonderful or perfect instead of good. There’s this sense that “good” isn’t good enough. But there’s something about goodness – somehow it speaks of beauty and simplicity and harmony and integrity. Goodness isn’t about competition or hierarchies. Goodness isn’t about perfection. Goodness is somehow tied to faithfulness. And goodness, not greatness or perfection, is a fruit of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22, NIV). Clearly, “good” is pleasing to God.

Interestingly, on the day before this email exchange I heard Greg Jones speak at Duke Divinity School on Resurrecting Excellence.  As he spoke of leading the church in the 21^st century, he made the comment, “Beware of mediocrity masquerading as faithfulness.”  Another proverb. I think we fall into this trap too often – often unawares.  Consider those times when we claim we are being good stewards of our resources and thus we are being faithful, when in fact we are afraid of taking a risk or we are afraid of failing. We claim that what we are doing is good, when the truth is that we don’t want to step on toes, offend anyone, or move out of our own comfort zones. At those times we settle – yes, settle! – for the status quo rather than pushing for that which is truly good. We settle for mediocrity and call it faithfulness. When in fact it is neither faithful nor good.

Perfection is often impossible. Mediocrity is often too easy. Yet just like the three bears and their porridge, there’s that third option that is just right: goodness.  Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Beware of mediocrity masquerading as faithfulness. And from the book of Proverbs: “Those who plan good find loyalty and faithfulness” (14:22b). So why don't we strive to do good?