There is a place in the Gospels where most Bible translations give us a rendition that can discourage us rather than encourage us. Here is an example from the ESV, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” As Jesus teaches about how we should deal with our enemies, He gives us a clear imperative: “love your enemies” (Matthew 5:48). The discourse ends with a significant conclusion: if we love our enemies, we will resemble our Father. Our Father loves perfectly. He is complete and mature when it comes to loving and even loving His enemies. After all, isn’t that how He loved us in the first place?

Reading the passage as translated by the ESV, and some other translations, leaves me with such a weight on my soul. Can you feel it too? You must muster this kind of maturity or perfection in love in order to look like your Heavenly Father! That surely adds some pressure.

Here is a piece of good news though. The verb used in Matthew 5:48 is a future indicative. What that means is that we can translate the verse to say: “You will be perfect…” Reading it this way does fill me with hope! Why? Because now it doesn’t sound as an imperative but rather as a promise. You will be complete and perfect. I will be compete and perfect. We will be complete and perfect when it comes to loving others including our enemies. Hallelujah!

You and I are commanded to love our enemy, but the maturity with which we do that is not something we can muster on our own. God will produce that in you. So take courage. Just because your heart is hard toward your enemy now does not mean it will stay that way.

I encourage you to turn the following verse into your personal prayer while you attempt to love your enemy:

“for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”

—Diego Cuartas