The Enemy of the Best
When one thinks of an enemy, one thinks of an opposite. For example, the enemy of love is hate, of hot is cold, of big is small, of success is failure, etc. Yet, there is an enemy that is hard to distinguish and that is the enemy of the best is the good. The good and the best usually are seen as allies, yet, more often than not, it is the good, not the bad, that keeps us from the best. When King Saul went to war with the Amalekites, he was told by God to destroy all the people and animals. No one was to be spared. King Saul won a great victory on the battlefield, but instead of destroying everything, he saved the king of the Amalekites and some choice cattle. Samuel, the prophet, confronted Saul with his disobedience and Saul responded by saying he had saved the cattle to offer as a sacrifice to the Lord. Now that was a good thing to do, don’t you agree? Yet God said that: “To obey is better that to sacrifice.” (I Sam. 15.22) That day King Saul lost his kingdom. The good was the enemy of the best.
The good is like the silver or bronze medals in the Olympic Games. When an athlete trains for an event, he does not strive for the bronze or even the silver. He goes for the gold. It is good to be successful; to have high paying jobs and to excel in school, but this is not the best. Jesus told His disciples that it profits a man nothing if he would gain the whole world and yet lose his own soul. (Mat. 16.24-26) One’s spiritual life is far more important than any good thing this world can offer. Let’s be practical. Are we raising our children to go for the good or the best? Do we demand they study their school work more than the Bible? What priorities do we instill in their lives? Many souls have been lost to the influence of the world, because of the value that is placed on their achievements, more than through the temptations of sin. It is important to do well in all our endeavors, but not at the neglect of the best.
King David, who had it all, said it this way: “A day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.” (Psalms 84.10) He was ready to trade the fame, positions, riches and power this world can offer for just a moment in the presence of his God. He knew what the better was. Some people thought that following Jesus was a good thing. Jesus wanted it to be the best thing, so He challenged them to leave all. Their responses were: “Let me first bury my father”, or “Let me first say goodbye to my family”; all good things for sure. But, Jesus did not think so. Putting family first was not the best. The best was to follow the Lord and obey Him, even when it meant that the good needed to come second.
The key to reaching the best is found in Matthew 6.33. It says: “Seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.” “All these things” are found in the preceding verses. They are things like clothes, food, income, etc.; all good, but not the best. We could add to the list things like, cell phones, tablets, brand name tennis, etc. All good, but do they have priority over giving to the poor and supporting the ministry of the Church through tithes and offerings. This verse in Matthew was my father’s life verse. He lived by it and I saw how God added all things to him. He was dedicated to his church, never missing a meeting, event or opportunity to serve. His giving grew over the course of his life from 10% to 100% of his earnings, and yet he had more than enough for himself and his family. It worth going for the best.
Scriptures to meditate on:
I Sam. 15.22; Ps. 84.10; Mat. 6.33; 16.24-26; Luke 9.60