Beautifully Imperfect

Last month, I shared a video on my blog. From that theme of "beautifully imperfect", the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) in Singapore organised a contest to look for 10 'beautifully imperfect' couples.

This is an excerpt of what was written on Straits Times yesterday: (The original article here)

BY HIS own admission, Mr De Beers Wong, 28, is short, tubby and all business - even aloof - while at work. For the past nine months, he has been romancing Miss Megan Kong, 25. She is willowy next to him, and also the 'angel' liked by everyone in the same office for her warmth and friendliness. The couple admit they are like chalk and cheese.

As Miss Kong said: 'Our colleagues were very shocked when we first got together as we are so different, but we can really communicate.'

The insurance agents are 'beautifully imperfect' - exactly the type of couple the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) is looking for in an online contest. It is no ordinary contest, though.

Behind it is the serious business of persuading Singaporeans to get married and have children. So what does being 'beautifully imperfect' have to do with anything?

Everything, said Mr Richard Tan, MCYS' director of communications and international relations. He cited a 2007 study's finding that most young Singaporeans did want to get married, but were not doing so, they said, because they had yet to meet their Mr or Miss Right. But what, exactly, is 'right'?

Enter 'beautifully imperfect': The drive aims to inspire marriage-minded singles to find that special person based on character and personality, instead of applying society's checklist of beauty, wealth, education and family background.

'The person who is not perfect as defined by the world around us may turn out to be the perfect husband or wife,' he said.

Reach them it did. In just over a month, more than 14,000 people joined the group, and more than 370 couples signed up for the contest.

How true is it that single men and women generally go through their checklist of "Mr Right" or "Miss Right" before they get married, only to find out that there is never a perfect "Mr/Miss Right" in the world. Dreams are dashed which lead to divorce down the road when your spouse fail to meet your expectations. When will people really truly realise that there is not a perfect person for you?

I think every married couple is beautifully imperfect in their own ways... ways that when you see a certain 'imperfection' in your spouse and despite that, you accept him/her for who he/she is and able to smile about it.

I like how wedding couples' wedding vows are asked "WILL you, xxx, take xxx as your lawfully wedded husband/wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish/obey until death do us part or the Lord Jesus Christ returns" (this was my marriage vow). When the person answered "I will", it means that he/she will (try to) honour this vow/promise/covenant, now and future. In some instances (and often in movies), the celebrant ask "DO you....?" And when you say "I do", it seems that it only applies the now and not the future. "I will" implies that you will commit to be in a loving marital relationship with this person in all circumstances - for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health. Isn't that really sweet?

In God's eyes, I am also a 'beautifully imperfect' person. In fact, I am made perfect in and through Jesus Christ's death and resurrection because He did that for me (and you too!). My physical body is still not perfected as I live on earth but I await for Jesus' return to see my Lord in my perfect body :)