Good, Better, Best

There's an old saying that goes like this: "Good, better, best, never let it rest until your good is better and your better's best."

This long tongue twister is simply saying, there's always room for improvement in our lives. There's always a chance to do better and be better than who we were yesterday.

The problem with that is I get lazy. I get complacent. I go back to my old ways, I get set in my own ways and I often lose focus.

But, there is still something in me, nudging me to strive to do better, pushing me to do my best. I think that's the Holy Spirit living inside of me, whispering to keep going and keep trying to improve. Jesus says to his apostles in John 14:16 that he is going to send them a helper, the Spirit of truth, after he is no longer with them, but this gift of the Holy Spirit is also offered to the disciples of today who repent and are baptized (Acts 2:38). This Spirit helps me keep my mind set on what the Spirit desires, which is far better than my fleshly desires. "Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace." Romans 8:2-6

I like to have a mind governed by peace for sure.

The good thing is that those who are in Christ are a new creation, the old is gone, the new is here. As Christians we have a fresh start, a clean slate, we are made new in Christ and with His Spirit living in us we can continue to try to make our good better and our better best. Just keep in mind our own good does not save us, only God's grace can do that, but because of my love and respect for him I want to be the best Christian that I can be and continue to improve upon that.

So, when I sin and make a mistake, I pick myself up and dust myself off and try again. Today's a good day for that.

I used to struggle with my temper and yelling at my kids. By the grace of God I have improved in this area. I used to have terrible anxieties, but with the help of the Holy Spirit I have become less anxious.

I still have areas to work on. I'm going to mess up in other areas or revert back to some old ways from time to time. I'm going to lose my focus and my willing spirit will lose to my weak flesh again in the future. But I still have to keep trying.

Paul rights a letter to the the Colossian church and praises them for all the good they are doing. He said he had heard of their faith and their love for God‘s people. He encourages them to keep doing this and even more by telling them that he is praying for them and asking God to give them complete knowledge of his will and give them ‘spiritual wisdom‘ and understanding. Telling them, “then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.” Colossians‬ ‭1:9-10‬ ‭

Good, Better, Best.

Paul prays similar prayers for the churches in Ephesus and and Philippi as well.

“I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭1:16-17‬ ‭

“I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1:9‬ ‭

“In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.” 2 Peter 1:5-7

Good, better, best.

What’s the point of growing like this? Why should we continue to strive to mature and do better in our Christian walk? Peter has this answer in the next verse, “The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭1:8

In the book of Revelations God has John write to the seven churches. Each he praised for the good they were doing but to some he said, but “this I have against you.” Essentially saying, you’re doing good in this area, but these are the areas I need you to work on, these are the areas you need to be better.

These churches did many great things in the name of God and were commended for them, but they had some weak areas where they failed. God told them to repent of these things and do better or he would punish them.

I am part of the church. We all in Christ are a part of the church. We all, as this church of Christ have areas we can improve upon both individually and collectively.

We all can work on making our good better and our better best.

After all, Jesus was good and perfect while on this earth and gave us a better covenant with God and offered his best by dying on the cross for the sins of the world. You can’t get better than that.

“Jesus is the one who guarantees this better covenant with God.” Hebrews 7:22

“But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises.” Hebrews‬ ‭8:6‬ ‭

In light of this good news I can only want to offer God my best.

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