I Corinthians 6:19-20: “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies” (NIV).
Last year I blogged about a great saying that was given to me by a friend, talking about taking it to the NEXT level. That idea really helped me realize that I do not have to attain perfection; I just have to bring it up one notch. That motivated me to work at being my best, not someone else’s, but only comparing me to myself.
Adding to that concept, I want to introduce the next step of the “Take it to the NEXT level” philosophy. This idea is that God deserves my best, which should be better today than it was yesterday. When you break it down, that truth can be applied very easily to all areas of our lives.
I will be a better wife to my husband today than yesterday because one more layer of our relationship will have been exposed, thereby having the chance to make his life easier instead of harder, more pleasant instead of more difficult. I will be a better mother because I will have connected one more time with my kids today than I did yesterday, learning something else that is unique to each of them. I will be better to myself because I will have unlocked another key toward my personal goal of healthy living or time management or boundaries with others. I will be a better friend today than I was yesterday because I will have learned something new either about our friendship or my friend herself, implementing those changes to show that I care. I will be a better customer, coworker, client, acquaintance, and person overall.
It does not have to take a lot of time or energy to discover one new thing about yourself or about family, friends, coworkers, or acquaintances. It does, however, take purposeful commitment to strive to be your best, which will make you better today than you were yesterday.
So my challenge to you is this: How many opportunities can you find throughout your day to discover something new about yourself or those around you, taking it not only to the NEXT level, but improving your personal best a little at a time, each and every day? Hopefully, by doing so, the journey ahead can be one that is filled with love, laughter, and a lot of fun.