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There’s a saying that has become popular of late that I really like. It is this: “Be the best version of yourself.” I like it because it does emphasize being yourself. It is important to be you, to be unique, and to be who God made you. Don’t change that. But it’s also important to be the best possible you.
Timothy in the Bible was a young man and a preacher. He had been a protégé of the great apostle Paul, and Paul had left him to minister in Ephesus. Paul knew the great potential that lied within him, so when he wrote his first epistle to Timothy, He wanted to encourage the young man to be the best that he could be. Paul emphasizes this in 1 Timothy 4:12: “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”
What Paul is reminding Timothy is that he needs to be the best possible version of himself. He was an exceptional young man, and he could do a lot of good if he reached his full potential. But to do that he need to be to be the best possible version of himself in his words, his actions, and even inside of his very being.
Someone once noted that “Most people are human ‘doings’ – we need to be human ‘beings’.” That’s true. Most people focus on what they do (i.e. merit through human effort). Let us focus more on what to “be.” “Being” means that it becomes an integral part of us. If we change the “being” aspect of our lives, then the proper “doings” will follow. Be a Christian. Be faithful. Be kind-hearted. Be loving. Be compassionate. Be concerned. Be forgiving. Be the best version of yourself – from the inside out.
If you be the best version of yourself, would your family be happier or more miserable? If you be the best version of yourself, would this church be friendlier or more unfriendly? If you be the best version of yourself, would the world be better or worse? The answers are obvious.
The US Army used to have a saying: “Be all you can be.” I think we should just simply change it to: “Be all God wants you to be.” And I believe one of the best ways to do this is to: “Be the best version of yourself.”
Edd Sterchi
Broadway church of Christ
Campbellsville, KY