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Bible Reading Plan

Reading Plan: Luke 10:25-37

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

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Daily Devotional: Reflecting Him, Not Perfecting Me

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matthew 5:48

“Be perfect.” That’s a tall order. It’s impossible, really. No amount of effort can make you or me perfect. But many of us live each day driving, striving, sometimes conniving, to achieve the unachievable. Yet here we are, on a hillside, stunned by Jesus’ declaration: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” I must have misheard Him.

Recently, I volunteered in Willow Kids with a team of leaders I’d never met. I had the privilege of joyfully welcoming three-year-olds into the room, showing them the love of Jesus, and inviting them to discover that God made them and loves them unconditionally. The assignment was simple: play, clean up, hear a Bible story, sing, and play some more. I didn’t have to write a message or teach big theological truths. I wasn’t in charge, and no one put unreasonable expectations on me. Overall, it was a delightful opportunity and experience—especially now as a grandfather! But to my surprise, even among toddlers, I could still hear the misguided soundtrack that plays in my heart about performance and perfection.

The truth about me is that I seek approval. I regularly wonder how I showed up, performed, and appeared after serving people. Not one child or adult that I encountered while serving in Willow Kids expected me to be or do anything perfectly. Ironically, the truths we pray that three-year-olds will experience apply to you and me too: you’re joyfully welcomed just as you are, Jesus loves you, and God made and loves you unconditionally. That’s the starting point of Jesus’ direction to “be perfect,” not what our world means when speaking the same words.Jesus never says, “Be perfect like God,” as many of us leap to misinterpret. Rather, He uses the Greek word teleioi, a dynamic term that points us to God’s holy perfection as a direction, not a destination. When Jesus teaches, “Be teleioi, therefore, as your heavenly Father is teleiois,” that’s our cue to humbly, courageously, and diligently walk with God toward that end. I’m grateful for this good news. It needs to replace my internal playlist. So, whether we’re with three-year-olds at church, our families at home, colleagues at work, or a stranger on the street, loving more like Jesus is ultimately about reflecting Him, not perfecting ourselves.

Next Steps

What’s your typical reaction when you’re told to “be perfect”? How different is this from Jesus’ direction to reflect God’s perfect love, not focus on perfecting yourself? Ask your heavenly Father to replace untruths about performance and perfection that play in your heart so that the attention stays on Him.