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

Can you be perfect as our scripture requires?

No, but we can strive for perfection.

A top athlete does not get to the top by trying to be good enough. They do so by striving for perfection in the game. The artist in the art. The professional in the profession.

This scripture is an invitation for us to be the absolute best version of ourselves that we can be. And to do so it ask us to be perfect, as the Heavenly Father is perfect. God is looking too for to show that we want to be the best version of ourselves.

Otherwise, why do we call ourselves Christians if we are not striving to be like Christ.

Please do not take this and an affront to you not being perfect. Of course we cannot obtain perfection, but it is in the striving that we progress along the path of perfection. If we settle for the flawed versions of ourselves we have been living with, we are not shooting for God’s mark for our lives.

We must strive to be the best version of ourselves in every area of our lives, every day. Yes, using Christ as our benchmark of perfection.