Perfection

Bam!
Matthew 5:48 hits hard.

Part way through His very first sermon...delivered open-air style to masses of people...Jesus calls those who would follow Him to 'be perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect.'

A tall order, don't you think? Particularly considering the teachings that sandwich this idea earlier in chapter 5 and then into chapters 6 & 7.

We're called to love our enemies and pray for them....challenged about how we look at others...told sin is extremely serious and we need to deal with it in radical ways....taught to give secretly....reminded not to worry....and not to judge.....all difficult things to do.

In fact the standard of God, being perfection, sets me up to fail. There is no way I can meet God's standard.

But God knew that and that's why I say 'Thank God for Jesus.'
It is His perfection that God sees when He looks at me.

So in God's eyes, once I have believed in Jesus as His Son and turned from my sin, I am perfect.

And in His strength I can have the best go at living the way that pleases God (loving my enemies, not worrying or judging, etc...) and creates for me 'my best life.'