Faith Words: Nothing less than the best
I remember my first management meeting at a company where I used to work. At that meeting, the company president asked the question: "What is the enemy of best?" The answer? "Good." When we become satisfied with doing a good job, better and best are no longer our goals. And before we know it, we're satisfied with "good enough." This is just as true in our spiritual life as it is in the workplace.
The standard has been set high for us by Jesus Christ himself. We should never use our fractured human state as an excuse not to try to meet that standard. Even if we never do, we must always try. Remember what Paul wrote in Romans 6. Grace is not license to sin, rather it should be the impetus to live godly lives. If we can just remember what God has given to us, we will be encouraged to work more diligently to please Him. I'm not saying that our work earns us any special points with God, but how we live should be a response - a living sacrifice, if you will - to God's graciousness and love for us. We should want to please Him in every way. Not out of fear, but out of love with joy.
If we live better today than we did yesterday and if our goal is to live better tomorrow than we do today, what would that look like? If I try to have a stronger faith than I had - do more good - know more about God - be more self-controlled - persist in doing what is right - live more in line with God's Word - be kinder - love more fully, more deeply, more selflessly - if I keep trying to do these things, I'd surely experience the blessings of God more completely and my life would be a stronger witness for Christ.
If I could just begin to grasp how much God loves me, I'd want to give Him nothing less than my best because He gave me His best first - Jesus Christ.
Humbly challenged,
Patrice
2 Peter 1:5-8 (NIV)
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith, goodness; and to goodness, knowledge, and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The standard has been set high for us by Jesus Christ himself. We should never use our fractured human state as an excuse not to try to meet that standard. Even if we never do, we must always try. Remember what Paul wrote in Romans 6. Grace is not license to sin, rather it should be the impetus to live godly lives. If we can just remember what God has given to us, we will be encouraged to work more diligently to please Him. I'm not saying that our work earns us any special points with God, but how we live should be a response - a living sacrifice, if you will - to God's graciousness and love for us. We should want to please Him in every way. Not out of fear, but out of love with joy.
If we live better today than we did yesterday and if our goal is to live better tomorrow than we do today, what would that look like? If I try to have a stronger faith than I had - do more good - know more about God - be more self-controlled - persist in doing what is right - live more in line with God's Word - be kinder - love more fully, more deeply, more selflessly - if I keep trying to do these things, I'd surely experience the blessings of God more completely and my life would be a stronger witness for Christ.
If I could just begin to grasp how much God loves me, I'd want to give Him nothing less than my best because He gave me His best first - Jesus Christ.
Humbly challenged,
Patrice
2 Peter 1:5-8 (NIV)
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith, goodness; and to goodness, knowledge, and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Comments
Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.
Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me
your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.