Most of us grew up with parents who exhorted us to do our best. It didn’t matter if it was playing baseball, doing homework, or putting on socks. Doing good was never sufficient; the golden ring always involved our best.
I wonder what our heavenly Father expects from us? Is He satisfied with our ‘good’ or our ‘best?’ One hint is found in His command, “As obedient children…like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior because it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’” (1 Peter 1:14-16)
That’s a high bar! If any of us reached the level of His holiness, we could take an exhilarating victory lap. Or pat ourselves on the back. Or maybe smile.
Mere mortals that we are, however, we live in the mundane world of our averageness. If we tackled the job of building the next Taj Mahal, we know deep down our structure would end up looking like a two-seater in the backyard.
Although ascending to our Father’s level of holiness smacks of utter impossibility, we live in the hope of hearing, “…Well done, good and faithful servant…enter into the joy of your master.” (Matthew 25:21)
The following list identifies whether we choose to do good or to do best. Warning, a quiz follows: 1) Go to church every Sunday, 2) Read my devotion every day, 3) Memorize a Bible verse every week, 4) Tithe to my church.
Quiz question: If you consistently performed all the above, have you done ‘good’ or ‘best?’ Answer: You’ve done good. But not necessarily best.
In Isaiah 29:13, God tells us why: “The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.” (NIV)
Here’s what non-Believers don’t understand about Believers. They observe us doing our regular duties (see list above), then compare it to how we live out our day, and arrive at the conclusion we are hypocrites. Point taken. The critique actually boils down to this: They observe us do our regular duties (see list above), and see no heart in them.
God is calling us hypocrites as well. That’s what Isaiah 29:13 is describing. We pretend to love Him with all our heart, but we’ve boiled the relationship down to man-made rules directing us to be ‘good.’ Such hypocrisy!
Only doing ‘good’ insults God. It probably irritates Him as well. Frustration as well? Sure.
He wants our hearts first and foremost. He wants us to love Him regardless where that thriving love might take us or require from us. From an abiding love for Him, He desires us to love others even more than loving ourselves.
Rather than sitting comfortably in the pew Sunday after Sunday, He wants us to take on the armor and sword of God (Ephesians 6:13-17) and march into the raging battle of life. Not for our sakes, but for the sakes and souls of others. We may not be in danger, but so many of our friends and family are.
He has given us spiritual gifts. How will we use those to ignite the Light of Christ in the hearts of others? He has given us talents and abilities. How will we use those to spark joy, peace and goodness in others?
He has given us resources like time, money and material possessions. Can we think of ways to give freely of them to those who need the lifeline of Christ in their lives?
He has given us new eyes and ears along with a new voice. Will we use those to stand in the gap for those who have no eyes, ears or voice so that they might finally see the world as we see it?
We discover ‘best’ through the heart God has grown within us. We live out ‘best’ when our love for God and others spreads out from us like ripples on water. Doing good is good, but it can only take us so far. Doing best takes us the rest of the way.