Becoming the Best Version of Yourself

Key Verse to Read and Treasure

The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth. Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul—3 John:1-2,ESV

For Insight

In today’s language John might have been saying to his good friend Gaius, “Are you being and enjoying the best version of your earthly self that you can be?

We all know that once we get to heaven all striving to be better will be over. We won’t have to work on our attitude, keep a check on our emotions, work on these bodies that always seem to need some kind of maintenance, discipline our thought life, or care for our spirit and soul. All these will be perfectly aligned for all eternity. What a relief! But until then, we need a lot of work. Not only did all creation fall when mankind sinned (Read Romans 8:19-23). So did we.

Once they sinned Adam and Eve no longer enjoyed perfection of anything. They had to work at everything. The ground no longer yielded abundant crops without work. Their marriage was no longer perfect and conflict free. Family life had issues it would not have before sin. Environmentally, they had to put up with excessive heat and cold and storms and times of drought. Living on earth was no picnic, no longer carefree, it was going to take blood, sweat, and tears. Human beings need constant care and management of both our interior and exterior life.

From the beginning of creation—before sin—God said to His Son and the Holy Spirit, “Let us make man in our own image.” And so, in the image of God he made us (Read Gen. 1:26-27). Being made in the image of God we were created from the start to be good people, great people, loving people, kind people, compassionate people, patient people, disciplined people, Spirit-controlled people, joyful people, productive people, progressive people, innovate and creative people, fair-minded reasonable people, we were meant to experience and enjoy being the best versions of our self that can be attained in this flesh while on earth.  

I always shake my head at the ads where people boast about their weight loss achievements that came without any work. They just swallowed a pill or drank a drink, and the weight came off. And that can happen. But without the work that is necessary for lasting results it won’t stay off. It will return. Part of being in good health all the way around as John wished for Gaius in his letter, is becoming our best selves in every way. We won’t achieve that through passiveness. It is an intentional journey we take with our God. Intentional about spiritual growth but also intentional to become better in every way possible. The child of God that makes his or her home in the Vine is on a journey to become the best self they can be on earth. It is not a sprint but a marathon, it requires desire, dedication, diligence, and commitment and it should be intentional. Every attention we give it will be worth it. We will be happier, fulfilled and others will receive the overflow of our best.

Being and experiencing the best version of our earthy self is not out of reach, for the branch in Jesus it is always attainable and should be the most desirable way to live life.

Father, thank you for creating me in your image. Thank you that becoming the very best version of myself is within my reach as long as I stay attached to the Vine.        

Ask Yourself:

Am I enjoying or working on being the best version of my earthly self? What areas do I need to continue working and striving to be a better version of the me God made me to be?  

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