Is there someone in your life who hates you?  Is there someone in your life who always tries to manipulate and control you?  Is there someone in your life who is spiteful…who is defensive…who is contentious?

BUT YOU ARE TO BE PERFECT, EVEN AS YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN IS PERFECT
(Matthew 5:48).

Do you know what your Father is expecting of you?  Yes, you guessed it—to be perfect!  What would a perfect person say to someone who hates him?  How does a perfect person react to someone who tries to manipulate and control him?  What would a perfect person do with someone who spitefully uses him?

YE HAVE HEARD THAT IT HATH BEEN SAID, THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR, AND HATE THINE ENEMY.  BUT I SAY UNTO YOU, LOVE YOUR ENEMIES, BLESS THEM THAT CURSE YOU, DO GOOD TO THEM THAT HATE YOU, AND PRAY FOR THEM WHICH DESPITEFULLY USE YOU, AND PERSECUTE YOU; THAT YE MAY BE THE CHILDREN OF YOUR FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN: FOR HE MAKETH HIS SUN TO RISE ON THE EVIL AND ON THE GOOD, AND SENDETH RAIN ON THE JUST AND ON THE UNJUST.  FOR IF YE LOVE THEM WHICH LOVE YOU, WHAT REWARD HAVE YE? DO NOT EVEN THE PUBLICANS THE SAME?  AND IF YE SALUTE YOUR BRETHREN ONLY, WHAT DO YE MORE THAN OTHERS? DO NOT EVEN THE PUBLICANS SO?  BE YE THEREFORE PERFECT, EVEN AS YOUR FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN IS PERFECT
(Matthew 5:43-48).

Know that your Perfect Father knows that you cannot be perfect by mere effort.  Therefore, your Father sent the Spirit of His Son, Jesus, into your heart, so He can be perfect in you, through you, and for you.

IT IS BECAUSE OF HIM THAT YOU ARE IN CHRIST JESUS, WHO HAS BECOME FOR US WISDOM FROM GOD—THAT IS, OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, HOLINESS AND REDEMPTION
(1 Corinthians 1:30).

Notice that the Lord Jesus has become your Redemption, Righteousness, and Holiness from God.

GOD SENT THE SPIRIT OF HIS SON INTO OUR HEARTS
(Galatians 4:6).

Surrender your own heart of animosity to Jesus, and allow Him to love your enemies through you—to bless them who curse you, to do good to those who hate you, and to pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.

What might be the wrong way and what might be the right way to be perfect?

PRAYER: Perfect Father, I admit that I cannot be perfect by mere effort.  Therefore, I welcome the Spirit of Your Son, Jesus, into my heart to be perfect in me, through me, and for me.