"Before destruction the heart of man is haughty. But humility goes before honor."-Proverbs 18:12 (New American Standard Bible, NASB)
"But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and things will be given to you as well. "-Matthew 6:33 (New Revised Standard Version, NRSV)
I was driving to campus yesterday and en route this thought came across the surface of my mind: Why do we strive to be the best? I began to think to myself, "What would it mean to be recognized as one of the BEST preachers, if not the BEST preacher, in America?" Do I do what I do so I can be recognized as the best? Do I work hard to perfect the craft in efforts to be recognized as the best? What does it mean to be the best?
For me it is preaching, pastoring, and ministry. For others it may be teaching, sports, finance, law, science, singing, rapping, DJing, art, dance, cooking, and various other occupations or trades that one undertakes. In whatever endeavor we pursue, why do we strive to be the best?
Do we strive to be the best in order to receive accolades and praise from others? Do we strive to be the best so that our names will be recognized or to accomplish some semblance of fame? In our pursuit to be the best, do we compromise others who are also in this pursuit to be the best?
I submit today that our strivings to be the best should not be rooted in a pursuit to please and receive praise and accolades from others. Our strivings to be the best should not be motivated in efforts to be recognized or receive praise from others. Our strivings for being the best should be undertaken with humility. Honor is not found by placing ourselves on a pedestal but in humbly perfecting the gift God has placed in us in order to fulfill God's will and give honor, praise and glory to God.
Proverbs 18:12 reminds us that honor is preceded by humility and our haughtiness will bring about our destruction. Our pursuit in being best should be undertaken with the utmost humility and remembering that God is the one who has blessed us with this gift. Therefore we should handle it with care because if we are not careful, we could potentially allow our own selfish pursuits of greatness hinder us from being the best person that God wants us to be and also impacts the effect we can have on the world.
God Bless,
Rev
