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In Matthew 5 Jesus begins His first sermon by teaching about those who are blessed and then goes on to show how those people bless others in different situations in life. The sermon reaches a climax in 5:43-48 when Jesus concludes the thrust of His argument by telling His Disciples to be a blessing to everyone, not just those they like or those who like them. Then He makes this seemingly impossible statement, "Be perfect therefore, just as your Father in Heaven is perfect!"
Talk about amping it up! Jesus has a habit of taking something everyone thinks is a good standard and annihilating it with a much better standard - His. He takes holiness and ups it to perfection. whoa.
Looking at that, I wonder what His hearers heard or understood. As I studied for this this week, I was really perplexed with how Jesus could have said such a thing. He knows we can't be perfect - doesn't He? Were those ancient Methodists right after all? Can we really attain perfection in this life through discipline?
I don't think so.
As I studied I began to notice everywhere in the Old and New Testaments alike, that when God really pours on the brevity of our commitment, he uses phrases like, "...with all your heart...", "... all your soul...", or "...everything you have...". I realized that the one way we can be like our Father in Heaven is that we can decide to commit 100 percent to living for Him.
In other words, we can go all in. Just like Him. The incarnation. Flesh. Humility to the point of death on a cross. That's all in. I can't be perfect, but I can give a perfect percent. I can die to myself and give all and make all I have available to Him and His purposes. I can go all in.
One of the ways I go all in is by dying to myself and living for others just like He did. I will be a blessing to others for the sake of my calling and His glory! As I read Romans 12:9-17, I am impressed upon how that chapter begins; "be transformed".
Are you all in?
With you for His glory,
