Thought of the Day !!

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 5:48 (NIV)

Isn't this an outlandish command by Jesus. I mean how can we be perfect? We're the ones born into original sin. We're the ones who keep messing up this world of ours. We're the ones that still need a Savior. How in the world can we be perfect, Jesus?

As we look at this seemingly impossible statement, lets put it into context. It comes immediately after Jesus teaches to love our enemies (another seemingly impossible statement). When he tells us to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect, he's not saying that we can be like God in a perfectly sinless way. He's telling us to love like He does.

John Wesley spoke of Christian perfection, and this is exactly what he meant by it. We all need to strive daily and pray for the gift of perfect love. When we see things from His point of view instead of our own, we will be able to love like Him. In this way, perfection can be achieved.

It's up to you. You can become perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect, loving God and neighbor more than self. Or you can be less than perfect, loving yourself and a select few more than others. With perfection, comes God's sense of happiness and joy that anyone can have, no matter what their economic or social level is here on this earth. So it's time to choose. I choose to strive for perfection. How about you?

In the love of Christ,
greg