How can we be as perfect as God? If we think these words are saying that we should never again make any mistakes in our lives, we are sunk. The apostle Paul wrote, if you think you have reached perfection... think again! So why does Jesus ask us to be perfect?
Just prior to His statement about being perfect, Jesus was saying that humans are naturally kind and giving toward those they like or even those with whom they have something in common. It's natural to greet someone from your church or a person you know from the gym. It is human nature to love those who love us. God, however, loves even those who hate Him. That is the challenge of this section of the gospel of Matthew.
In My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers wrote, "Our Lord's exhortation in these verses is to be generous in our behaviour to all people. Everyone has natural affinities (likes and dislikes). Some people we like and others we do not like. We must never let those likes and dislikes rule in our Christian life. The example our Lord gives us is not that of a good man, or even a good Christian, but of God Himself. To be a disciple means that we deliberately identify ourselves with God's interests in other people. 'Love one another as I have loved you...' ".
If we are the children of God, we are to act out of kindness and compassion. Regardless of someone's skin tone; regardless if they come from Texas, London or Baghdad; regardless if they are Christian, Muslim, or atheist, God sees them as people who need to experience love and kindness. He is compassionate toward all people. As His children we must learn to act out of His perfect love and not out of our imperfect human likes and dislikes. If you act negatively toward those who don't meet your standard of 'perfection', you have totally missed it. God's criterion for loving others is quite simple. People are imperfect. All people need love, patience, and grace. This is the response that Jesus is challenging us to give; and, of course, it's perfect. Garold & Lori Anderson
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