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Good, Better, Best Sean Grimes
As an educator I continually try to reach out to and encourage my students to always do their best. This may be to expand their thinking, improve study habits or simply try harder in their classes. One of the sayings that I use with them is “Good, better, best! Never let it rest until your good is better and your better is your best!” Many of my students do well in my class, but I know it is not their best. As I have been taking the class on bearing one another’s burdens I have realized just how important serving one another really is. Before studying for the class I thought I was doing a “good” job of serving. I quickly realized that my “good” is not my best. One of the topics discussed was putting others’ needs before your own. All of us have busy lives and could fill each hour doing things we “need” to get done. But how many of us are willing to set aside all of those things in order to do things for others? Do we look for ways to help others or do we wait to be asked? It’s much easier to say, “Call me if I can do anything,” than to take an active role and look for things to do and actually do them. Philippians 2:4 states we should look to the interests of others. It is generally our attitude that separates our “good” from our “best.” Philippians 2:5 tells us our attitude should be like Christ’s. Christ lived and died for others. He lived and died for us. Why should we then do any less? We are to love each other as Christ loved us (John 15:12-13). Do we truly love one another? What better example to follow than that of Christ’s? The idea of “Good, Better, Best” can be found in Genesis 4:2-5. Cain and Abel both brought offerings to God. Abel brought his best and Cain did not. Cain thought his offering was good but God knew it was not his best. The Lord looked favorably upon Abel. We also see this in the parable of the talents in Matthew 25: 14-30. One servant did not work with the talent he was given to gain more for his master. Instead he buried it, while the other two worked and gained more for the master. We see that the master was pleased with the two who gained more by working and doing their best. How does God see your service to Him? When we serve others we are serving Him (Matthew 25:40). Consider the chart below. GOOD - Serve others within our “Group” BETTER - Step out of our comfort zone and serve those with whom we are not as familiar EXAMPLE / COMMAND - Matthew 9: 9-13
GOOD - Asking what we can do to help BETTER - Looking for ways to help EXAMPLE / COMMAND - Matthew 25: 43-45
GOOD - Serving others BETTER - Serving others with the right attitude EXAMPLE / COMMAND - Matthew 6: 1-18
GOOD - Telling someone you will pray for them BETTER - Actually taking time to name them in our prayers EXAMPLE / COMMAND - James 5:16
GOOD - Loving those who love us BETTER - Also loving those who don’t EXAMPLE / COMMAND - Matthew 5: 44
GOOD - Thinking of others BETTER - Letting them know you thought of them EXAMPLE / COMMAND - Proverbs 12:25
Now consider what you do that you think is “Good.” Search and study the scriptures to find ways to make it your “Best.” Will you hear Jesus say, “Well done my good and faithful servant”?
-Sean Grimes
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