"After" Lent -- 20 of 40 (What is Best?)

What is best...

What is best isn't always what is easiest. What is best is sometimes messy. What is best might be complicated. Best school, best church, best college, best town to raise a family, best "____." Anything would fit here. All relative to point of view. All should be judged by Jesus Christ alone. But all of these "bests" are seen through one person's eyes and then another's and judged daily by those of us thinking we have the best. And my best certainly won't look like someone else's. But what I strive for in my life and when I look at my children is for them to see past the material definition of what is best. I struggle in trying not to compare their best to other worldly versions if what is expected. The best job, the best house, the best clothes. And it's something that I am working on with God's help...i.e. lots of prayers. 

My hope is that God will show them what best looks like when it comes to being best in humility, being best at generosity, being best at loving others, despite their differences. Being best at Bible study. Having the closest walk with Christ that they/we possibly can. Meaningful and beautiful and simply prayers that are heartfelt and pure. And, it's gonna be hard, because this mama fails A LOT at all of these on pretty much a daily basis, but my heart tries to love its best, to consider others hearts the best I can, to guide myself and others gently to the loving arms of Christ. 

1 John 2:15-17 paints the picture beautifully:

"15 Do not love the world or anything that belongs to the world. If you love the world, you do not love the Father. 16 Everything that belongs to the world—what the sinful self desires, what people see and want, and everything in this world that people are so proud of—none of this comes from the Father; it all comes from the world. 17 The world and everything in it that people desire is passing away; but those who do the will of God live forever."

And also Colossians 3:2:

"Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth."

Because when all of our bests are over and our lives are finished, do we really want to be remembered for what we had on or what our house looked like, or the car we drove, or whatever the case may be. I want to totally change my perspective to a heavenly view of our worldly wants/needs. We want to be remembered for our actions towards others and how they point upwards and towards Jesus Christ. If my children grow up and love their best and give their best and care their best, giving glory to God, I couldn't be happier. 

My prayer is to be more blessed than best. More holy that just happy. More joy than just general emotions that ebb and flow. It can be so easy to get caught up in life and to want want want, but simply examining what God has given us makes me know He wants what is BEST for me and "know the plans he has for me" (Jeremiah 29:11). As a mother, wife, and daughter, just as I want the best for my family, and Jesus wants the same for me. And His bests aren't worldly, they are the ones that might not be easy and are complicated, but they belong to Jesus Christ and I know "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me) (Philippians 4:13). And the more I think about it, these qualities of generosity, humility, study, prayer, and love...they are easy when we are committed to pleasing Him. They are fun when we look at them those His eyes. They are THE. BEST. And knowing He is right beside me every single step of the way...best!