Whether you grew up playing sports or playing the piano, whatever your hobby was, I am sure you have heard many times from your coach, teacher or supporter(s) (parents, grandparents, family friends), that it’s not important if you win, but it is important that you give your very best, 100% all the time.

This lesson, that we typically learn at a young age, recently came to my mind when I was at church on Sunday. My pastor was talking about how people use the excuse no one is perfect, but little did we know God actually calls us to be perfect (Matthew 5:48). We are supposed to strive to live life like Jesus, who was perfect. God calls us to be perfect, His perspective of perfect is just a little different than ours. In God’s eyes, us giving our very best every day is perfect. While the topic of being perfect is an interesting one, what I want to focus on a little more closely is the topic about giving ones best. It got me really thinking and asking questions such as… what is my best? Who sets the standards for what my best is? How do I achieve my best? Do I give my best every day? Hence, I decided to write it out, and this is what I came up with.

It’s not new news that people in today’s society generally validate their worth by how many likes they receive on social media. It’s also nothing new for people to be constantly comparing themselves to those they see on television, magazines, or social media. Generally, we are so busy looking at other people’s best, whether it be body goals, relationship goals, makeup goals, we forget what our best is and begin downgrading or undermining ourselves because our best doesn’t seem to be what other people’s is.

The thing to remember in this situation is that your best is personal. There isn’t a lot left in this world that is personal, everyone is always sharing everything, whether it be too much skin in pictures or too much of their opinion in a Facebook post, people aren’t keeping much to themselves these days. What you need to keep in mind, especially when you start comparing yourself to that personal trainer’s Instagram, is that your best can get better but your best doesn’t need to be compared to anyone else’s, God says your very best is enough.

Another thing to remember is that if you realize at some point that you haven’t been giving your very best, it is never too late to start. My theme for this school year is begin anywhere. For me, this is a constant reminder that if I’m not happy with something in my life, if I want to change something, if I want to start something new, the only way to achieve what I want is to begin, and then to continue to begin every single day. Don’t let anything, not even yourself, stop you from beginning and giving your very best.

God says your very best is enough for him, it should be enough for you too.