Be perfect therefore, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 5:48
I don’t know about you, but just the thought of having to maintain perfection is exhausting to me. Our idea of being perfect and the Lord’s idea of being perfect are completely different.
Our idea of being perfect is to be completely without fault or without blemish.
The Lord’s idea of being perfect is to be without fault or blemish, complete IN HIM.
The Greek word used for perfect in this verse means, “to be fully developed and generous in our love for others” (New Testament Lexical Aides).
Because God first loved us, we can love Him and because He loves us so perfectly, we can love others.
Our idea of love gets skewed when we continually look to others for perfect love. There is only one who is able to love us perfectly, all of the time – Jesus. When we allow Him to fill us up with His perfect love, we are able to give love to others and receive love from others in a healthy way. Who are you going to for the filling of your love tank? Are you holding back on loving others because of past hurt?
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.
1 John 4:18
To become fully developed:
- We must abide in Jesus to stay nourished.
- We must drink often from the Living Water.
- We must eat often from the Bread of Life.
- We must rest often.
- We must exercise our gifts.
- We must take daring steps of faith.
To become generous in our love for others:
- We must open our hearts to the love of Jesus.
- We must allow Him to fix our leaky love tanks.
- We must fill up with His love first.
- We must view others through His eyes of compassion.
- We must receive forgiveness and offer forgiveness.
Love is patient.
Love is kind.
Love does not envy.
Love does not boast.
Love is not proud.
Love is not rude.
Love is not self-seeking.
Love is not easily angered.
Love keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil.
Love rejoices with the truth.
Love always protects.
Love always trusts.
Love always hopes.
Love always perseveres.
Love never fails!1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Press into God. God is love. Become fully developed in His way of love and you will become generous in your love for others.
He has lavished His grace upon you. Grace to say “no” to your way of doing things and “yes” to His way of doing things. For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son. Take the way of the cross. Take the way of love.
He who started a good work in you will be faithful to complete it. To perfect it – by His love.
Lord, help me to see others through your eyes of love today. Heal me from the inside out. Fill me afresh with your love. Help me to choose your way of love over the world’s way of love. May I become fully developed in your love and generous in my love for others.
