43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5)
In her dementia, my mother-in-law at times has called little red-headed boys or people who are nice to her "perfect". We don't let it go to our heads, because we realize that she is appreciating one of the few things she can still enjoy - people being nice to her without expecting anything in return. That is the kind of Perfect, complete, having the proper perspective that Christ is calling us to here. Those who really get what it means to be a child of God view and treat others as He has treated us in Christ: that all people deserve to be treated with respect, even when they do not do the same. God has done so toward us with a call to respond to His love, repent, trust and live for Him. He just might do the same for others if we live in the same way. So go ahead, be "perfect" today.
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