“For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”
‭‭John‬ ‭12‬:‭8‬ ‭CSB‬‬

There’s a well-known aphorism (often attributed to Voltaire) that says “the best is the enemy of the good”. It basically means that striving towards perfection gets in the way of accomplishing anything meaningful at all.

There are many applications and variations to this idea such as, “if you never miss a plane, you’re spending too much time at the airport” (George Stigler).

But I’ve also heard the exact opposite of this: “the good is the enemy of the best.” To me this means that when I settle for “good enough”, I won’t ever experience the best there is. In my life, while I appreciate this sentiment, I recognize that it hinders my decision-making. (I can’t buy a coffee table until I’ve seen all the coffee tables and know I’ve found the best one.)

In today’s verse, Jesus is saying that the second of these sayings is the only valid option for my spiritual life. I should always be striving toward perfection. And only Jesus is perfect. I can give everything I have to the poor, but without Jesus, that act is meaningless as far as my salvation is concerned. I can’t buy my way to heaven. I can only grab onto Jesus’s offered hand of perfection and be pulled along.

When it comes down to choosing to do “good” or choosing to obey God, obeying God should always win. Obedience to God is the best there will ever be.

Dear God,

Thank you for your perfect will. I’m sorry for the times when I think I know better. Teach me to always seek to obey you first and foremost. I want to participate in your perfection and not settle for the world’s idea of good enough.