I don’t know how long I’ve spent trying to be the best. Though I have gotten over this in some areas, I still struggle in others. You know that feeling you get when you think you’re pretty good, and someone comes along and makes you look like a first-timer. I don’t like how that feels, and I am well acquainted with it.

As kids, we often get told to do our best. As we get older, that either gets misconstrued, or unsatisfactory. Either way, it becomes “do the best,” as in be better than anyone else. That is not possible.

Someone is going to be better. If you tell someone to be the best ever, you send them on a wild goose chase, or into a maddening spiral towards trouble. A side note that is off topic, but might help: There is a story about a computer (one of the old, take-up-a-whole-room types) that worked all night on a problem, and suffered a “nervous breakdown.” It was trying to divide by zero. That is what happens when we chase being the best, it won’t end.

Now, just giving up isn’t a good option, so what is? Being the best we can be. The small change in our outlook creates a ripple effect in what we do, how we act, and how we treat others. When we put others ahead of ourselves, things work out so much better, for everyone.

We are supposed to do everything like we’re doing it for the Lord (Colossians 3:23). He deserves the best we can do. I have no problem with that, as long as I don’t think I’m better than the next person.