Is there a difference between striving to be the best you can be versus striving to be the best of the best?

We all probably remember playing king of the hill in our youth. If you were like many of us, you had your few moments where you were on top of the hill only to be displaced by someone larger and stronger than yourself. Isn’t there always someone bigger, stronger, and meaner than the next person?  Remember those days in college when we would receive the highest grade on a test. Did that mean we were the smartest person of the class? Most likely not, only for that test we knew the answers better than our fellow students.  Remember some of our friends who put so much pressure on themselves to achieve the highest grade in the class that they would literally become sick in the process? Is that worth the price to being the top of the class?

Since becoming a disciple of His, we have received a peace that has removed the inner drive of wanting to be tops in anything. Our top is now Jesus. He receives the pre-eminence. He is the best in our book. He sets the standard for personal achievement.

Advertisers know that communicating a position of a product plants that image into our minds. Whether something is ranked number one, two, or three, we store that information in our commercial minds. Usually we can remember who is tops in any product, contest, or event. Rarely do we recall anyone who comes in second or thereafter. Therefore, the competitive spirit enters us to seek that first position.  If it is important for you to be the top of your field, are you going to pay the price? You will sacrifice everything you have: maybe your health, your family life, your social life, your career, your whatever, just so you can finish on top. We admire people who sacrifice to achieve the end result. But do we admire people who sacrifice everything and do not finish at the top? Do we admire people whose sacrifice ruins the lives of people who are close to them?  Do we admire people whose sacrifice causes pain and heartache for many others so that one person can achieve their personal ambitions?

Is the price we pay to be on top worth the sacrifice?  Or is it just as worthwhile to be the best you can be without causing other love ones to suffer in the process?

OUR PRAYER

Dear God and Lord Jesus, your ways are the best and the most fulfilling. You set the standard and the example of successful living. We want to live life like you did while walking on this planet. Help us to discover our talents and gifts and use them for your glory. But protect those you have surrounded us with by making them more important than any goal. objective, or ambition that we pursue.  Always be tops in our book. Don’t let us be disappointed by your plans with us. Help us walk with you. Let our desires and dreams be built around you. Always be the cornerstone of our life. Help us walk the balanced life with you.  Amen.

Consultant & Coach for Christ-Centered
Business Owners & Executives

Dr. Mike

Author of Great Business Emulates a Good God

Ever wonder whether competitiveness is a godly trait or a humanly one?  Ever find yourself driving in the right lane of the freeway, cruising a good five miles over the speed limit, and then you begin to notice all the drivers passing you in the left lane? It seems that no matter the age, sex, religious preference, each driver is clenching the steering wheel with both hands while their faces are pinched in sheer determination to reach their destination in record time or die trying. Here  you are  relaxed, enjoying the countryside (with enough space in front and behind you to drive defensively), thinking about the scripture you recently read where Jesus stated, .“The first shall be last, and the last shall be first”. If you ever have, you probably also broke out chuckling because you are “living the scripture” while driving. Let us “explain”.

First, have you ever notice on the freeway that cars seem to gather in clusters? There is always someone first and last in every cluster. If we had a helicopter view, we would also notice that spread over a five mile route there would be a first cluster at the beginning, and a last cluster at the end, with many clusters in between. Your observation that may cause you to chuckle is this: the first driver of the last cluster (who may have worked hard to become the first driver by speeding and weaving between lanes) will eventually catch up with the next group. At that time he will become the last driver of that first cluster. Likewise, the car traveling last in the first cluster will eventually fall behind where it will become the lead car in the cluster behind it. THE FIRST SHALL BE LAST, AND THE LAST SHALL BE FIRST.

What does all this mean with us not having to be first anymore? Simply, it doesn’t matter anymore. It is not important. We don’t have to be first anymore because we are secure in Jesus. Jesus is the First and the Last. We will gladly accept wherever is in between. If you want to get in front of us, go right ahead. If you want to get behind us, go right ahead. Our place is secure with Him.

OUR PRAYER

Our Great Dad, thank you for making us first in your life with and in and through Jesus. Everything that we have, hold, prefer, and desire is found in Him. We know that we are first with you. Even when we are last with you, it is better than first in anything else. For you always keep us as the apple of your eye. Thank you for sharing time with us. Thank you for creating it and sustaining it.  Thank you, Jesus. Amen.

Consultant & Coach for Christ-Centered
Business Owners & Executives

Dr. Mike

Author of Great Business Emulates a Good God
Website: EnjoyLifeInChrist.com

Which is more important? Being right or keeping the peace? Which is more important? Being right or allowing love to have its way? Which is more important? Being right or experiencing supernatural joy?

How did you answer?  When these questions first are introduced to us, don’t we jump to the “right answer” or simply stumbled with a reply? Being brought up in a ”religious culture”, aren’twe trained to first seek righteousness which translates for the most of us to mean “being right in doctrine” (as we see the answer to be). To be right in rituals (again, as interpreted by us). Or to be right in defining God (our view of course is always correct). Isn’t it until the above questions slap our spiritual face that we have a rude awakening. Don’t you find as we mature in the faith that “being right” isn’t that important anymore.

With hindsight being one of the great teachers in our life, can we be honest with ourselves and see how God has allowed us to be wrong many, many, many times, yet He rarely immediately corrected us with “the answer.” Instead. He allows us to experience His peace, love, or joy first. His righteousness is far superior than any legalistic system we can every devise. His righteousness takes into consideration the entire internal spiritual dimension while we only focus on the exterior behavior. His ways are far superior then anything we have come up with in our man-made systems.

As a disciple of His, we want to learn how He relates with people and then emulate it. We want to learn how He works with people, and make it our method of operation. We want to learn how He loves people and love the same way. He is our standard. He is our model. He is our hero. His way is the way we want to walk in. “Being Right” isn’t always the correct answer. In fact, we don’t have to be right in all things anymore, only in the important one, Jesus.

OUR PRAYER

Our Righteous, Loving Dad, thank you for loving us even in our ignorance. Thank you for loving us even when we suffer “brain damage.” Thank you for loving us even when we are wrong. Help us to love like you. Help us to love; to love; to love … So Be It.

Consultant & Coach for Christ-Centered
Business Owners & Executives

Dr. Mike

Author of Great Business Emulates