More Better

Growing up, and in later years, I heard this phrase from my pastor, James L Kilgore, more times than I can remember.

Good, better, best
Never let it rest
Till your good gets better
And your better gets best.

I’m not sure where he found these words, and I know I can research it to death to get the source, but the idea behind the words is my focus today.

To make a start, you must evaluate yourself. It’s physical, mental, economically, spiritual and so many other metrics that you will use to measure yourself. Are you ready?

In order to reach my best, I must know if I’m good to start with! Put yourself to the test on this. Where are you, and where do you want to be? Can you achieve it? What will it take to get from here to there?

First Steps

I suspect we all have an idea of where we stand on certain things, and think about what would make our situation better, or even the best.

If you are a competitor, then going from better to best is often looking at others on the same journey. Knowing who is ahead of you in the standings that you want to catch and surpass is part of the equation. But looking over your shoulder to see who is striving to pass you can equally be part of your challenge?

When you are by yourself on the road of life, then you must challenge yourself to move between the poles.

So. The first step for your journey is to know where you are. Quickly, a second step is to know whether you are willing to move forward! Think about it! Knowing and doing are two different things!

Knowing is not enough; we must apply.
Willing is not enough; we must do.
~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Along the way you must be prepared to shrug off those things which hold you back. Some call them “limiting self beliefs”. Remember that little engine went from “I think I can” to “I know I can!” only after attempting to do what others thought could not be done by him. Finally, “I did it!”

Equally, sometimes the loss revolves around people who are holding you back. Are you willing to lose? Is the gain worth the loss?

Key Thoughts:
Evaluation. Analysis. Counting the cost.
Knowing the benefit. What’s the timing?
When will you know you’ve arrived?
Are you willing to lose so that you can gain?
Is the loss/gain worth it?

I understand this on many levels, and have found there are some things which keep me from moving forward – and I’m okay to stay where I am to hold onto such things.

Natural Skills

We understand there are some things we meant to accomplish because we have natural skills in certain areas. Agreed, there are some things we can acquire, but there are some things that come naturally. A lot of these ideas come from the areas of nature and nurture. We can nurture our desire to become and far succeed our wildest dreams, while someone else may simply slide into place without any effort.

From speaking to crowds, to programming a computer, to thinking outside of that proverbial box, we all have inherent abilities and fears.

I may not understand your fear of heights when I stand on the edge of a cliff with perfect balance and lack of vertigo. You may have an “inner ear” problem that prevents you from accomplishing what I think is a “no brained”! Of course, I’m the one with the inner ear problem…

Learning if you are “left-brain” vs “right-brain” takes time and you will make many false steps into the area you are not naturally geared to go.

The wisest of all wise men said it like this:

“Train a child in the way he should go,
and even when he is old he will not turn away from it.”  
Proverbs 22:6 (GW)

We like to formulate this thought into a spiritual application, but consider the abilities of a child and help them along their way of learning so they will become what they are naturally able to accomplish!

Spiritual Considerations

On the Spiritual level, in the opening verses of the chapter following the Faith Heroes, the writer tells us:

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”  
Hebrews 12:1-2 (KJV)

You must know where you are headed, and toss the baggage that keeps your from moving forward! The rewards? Out of this world! But what if that action of tossing revolves around people? I find it in my heart to keep reaching those folks that others are willing to toss aside. They are equally important and I hope I can make a difference along the way.

Making a difference, and being a difference, is paramount. How would you feel if you reached that spiritual pinnacle and found you were all alone?

Difference Maker

Did you catch that thought? Making a difference and being a difference. This is paramount and more important than simply being in the limelight.

Glen Campbell sings a song that sort of says it all:

Try A Little Kindness
If you see your brother standing by the road
With a heavy load from the seeds he’s sowed
And if you see your sister falling by the way
Just stop and say, you’re going the wrong way

You got to try a little kindness
Yes show a little kindness
Just shine your light for everyone to see
And if you try a little kindness
Then you’ll overlook the blindness
Of narrow-minded people on the narrow-minded streets

Don’t walk around the down and out
Lend a helping hand instead of doubt
And the kindness that you show every day
Will help someone along their way

If your path to best tramples on those under and behind you, then perhaps you should challenge yourself to be a better “best” than others. By doing so you will be the absolute best in my books!