Achieving a routine is great if you are a new mom trying to fit into the role of a mother. Getting the baby to sleep at the same time, drinking the same amount of milk and at the same time, finding rest for yourself. Routine is also good in our lives because it provides some sanity, security and comfort. Knowing that if you reach home after work, there are your spouse and kids waiting, then taking dinner, have some family time, sleep and go to work the next day.

But the danger of a Christian’s life is falling into a routine. Waking up every weekend to celebrate mass at the same time, making sure your kids attend every single cathecism classes, volunteer your time a bit here and there because it is the right thing to do and reading the same set of Bible verses dictated by your Bible reading guide. Then, the routine of going out with friends, doing ’something good’ like visiting the sick or going for the weekly BEC (whatever is that I do not know because I am BEC-less) meeting.

I personally think that when we fall into that kind of routine in our Christian’s life, we will start to be too comfortable. Our hearts will be calloused and our sights develop cataracts. We have the safe cocoon of the ‘I am a good Christian living an impeccable Christian life’ and no one can fault me.

I have friends who are in this category. All the words from their mouths are carefully selected and all their works are perfectly chosen. Don’t even think of throwing something new in their faces. They will have that shocking look on their faces and change subjects immediately.

There was this lady whom I used to hang around with. Very often, she lamented about her life and asked me how I cope with so many kids and stuffs. She said she is drained out from working late, attending to her kids and whatever she has to do. I told her I just take whatever comes my way. If I can do it, I do it. If not, so be it.

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It is by circumstances that we were sort of stuck together. So, we have plenty of time to chat about our motherhood and women stuffs. However, I soon notice something. She is always so afraid of voicing her opinions. Once, someone pissed me off over something. So, I blurted out to her, “Hah! That woman, she’s very teruk (in my heart I am thinking that a bitch is a better description). I cannot believed that she back-stabbed me that way.” I would have expected her to lend an ear and listen to me to complete my sentences. But no…..perfect Christians don’t listen to gossips and neither do they participate. It is against God’s teachings. And she cut off my sentence and acted so uncomfortable.

That’s when I know that I should never fall into this cliche of the perfect person. The amount of discipline it takes to produce the exterior perfect Christian being will probably sapped all my energy, passion, eagerness and child-like views. Then, I will be too calloused in my heart and too blind to notice the happiness, sufferings or stark realities of life.

So, Lord, don’t ever let me fall into this fallacy of the perfect Christian. For it is said, “In your weaknesses, my power is made perfect.” (or something like that) And I must remember, “God’s grace is sufficient.” Though I want all those holy-moly stuffs of “Glorify the Lord with your deeds and actions.” I never want to be so focussed on the glorifying part that I forget to work on the human part.

Therefore, if you are up there in the ivory tower of perfect Christians, get down already! So that the rest of us can try to climb and meet half-way.