Doesn't Put Forth Best Effort

Yesterday, Kristin and I went to our first ever Parent/Teacher Conference. We sat and talked with the teacher about Leslie's school performance, about how we thought she was doing well, and about where she was expected to be. We got our first look at a report card, and on the back were the 'grades' for the first six weeks. It was a series of phrases, like "Respectful to others" and "Follows Directions" and stuff. We smiled, noticing that each one had a "Y" beside it, indicating that, yes, she did that. Well, each one but one. Beside the box for "Puts forth best effort," was a big fat N. Apparently, N means "Needs improvement," but to me, N means, "No she doesn't." It turns out that Leslie always turns her stuff in done, and done right, but not necessarily done to the best of her ability. She has a good deal of natural ability to do what is asked, and she coasts on that.

It was like looking in a mirror.

I was an A student all through school, and never had to study. I hit college, discovered that to stay an A student I had to study- but I could get B's and C's by coasting. If there is a short-cut to doing something, I will find it. I might go so far as to say that I am lazy, but prefer to think of myself as sub-optimally efficient.

I think we all have something, or several somethings, that we fail to put our best effort into. We focus on the end, and not the journey to the end. We want to finish, and quickly. It may be the nature of our lives these days: hectic, busy, and full. Maybe we have taken on too much, or maybe we have taken on the wrong things. The truth is, our lives seem destined for mediocrity.

Don't get me wrong, I know quite a few of the people I spend time with work very, very hard to do well at their classes and their jobs. They spend late nights and lots of money on caffeinated beverages. They are consumed with thoughts of deadlines and performance reviews and tests and comprehension. They are struggling to balance this part of their life with the relationships that make living worth it. They are struggling to give to their friends, families and God the time they deserve.

This begs the question: Are we putting out our best effort where we need to?

I am absolutely not advocating that students not study, and employees not work. But I am wondering if we are putting as much effort into our time with the ones we love as we are our textbooks? Are giving the same attention to God as we are our In Box?

How often have I run through a routine prayer, or glanced through a short chapter because I had important things to do? I know I've struggled to listen to the thoughts of my friends and family when I know that I have something else pending. The simple truth is, if we are not putting forth our best effort with our families and especially with God, it doesn't matter what grades we make or how prestigious our job is. Those we claim to love deserve our best.

Our prayers need to be more than skin deep, they need to come from a deep place, a heart place. We need to pray as if it matters- because it does. We need to realize that our prayers, even the least of them, are heard by God. We need to understand and believe that when we pray, things happen. Sick are healed, prisoners are freed, mountains are moved. And we need to give our attention to God's Word. Let it pierce us, let it burn our hearts. We need to listen to Him and heed His nudges.

Our faith has taken a mediocre tint of late. It seems rare to see someone really on fire, really passionate about Jesus. I can't help but think it is because we have let our attentions wander, and our affections have followed. While it is true we are under grace, as James tells us, our faith without works is dead. That goes for our pursuit of God.

We may know tons of scripture, we may sing the most beautiful praise songs, we can even give of our time and possesions to the poor. But all of these are poor efforts if we do not first put our BEST effort into knowing Him. Personally.

So, what about you? Do you give God the same attention, the same effort that you do getting that A, or earning that promotion, or even winning that guy/girl?

I know that I don't. But, the first step to putting forth our best effort in pursuit of God is realizing that we "Need Some Improvement," then acting on it.