The Best

I am a rather ambitious young man, zealous for great things in both spirituality and matters of lesser passions, such as hunting. In my efforts towards refinement and growth, I have been known to bite off more than I could chew and rely too much on self, instead of the wisdom of others and the kindness of God. My mind rushes towards the next big step instead of making sure I firmly land the small ones. It's been said that some people can’t see the forest because of the trees, but sometimes I think I miss the forest because I wonder too much about what lies beyond it. And the trees, well those are often overlooked for things of “greater” value.

I don’t mean to elevate myself higher than I ought in saying I am ambitious, but I would be lying if I said there was no desire within me to build something worth remembering, to be better, maybe even the best.

There is something about the allure of being the best that grabs my soul and drives me forward. The irony of this is that I am not the best at most things in my life. I am not the best friend at times, not the best co-worker, not the best writer, and definitely not the best hunter. I realize all this to be true. Living in a paradox of high standards and not so high achievement is a strange place to find oneself. The result of dwelling in this paradox is humility and I have just scratched the surface of what this will mean for future endeavors.

Through my own pursuits of growth I have come to know some great men that I would categorize as “the best.” Hunters, men of faith, and those who embody excellence in all things. The characteristics of each overlap, regardless of skill set or expertise and that is what I want to explore now. What is it that makes these men the best? What about them draws young men like myself towards them?

The best hunters and men of faith that I know care nothing for recognition. As a matter of fact they avoid it at all cost. They care neither to be remembered and lose no sleep over being forgotten. They appreciate their achievements, but achievement ranks low on the list of motivations for continued pursuits. Even success, however one chooses to define it, fails to mean anything to the best. Success implies that there is an end goal. Something to take hold of before moving on to the next thing. The best I know give no thought to success because continued growth and steady walking is all that matters.

The best hunters I know are not chasing 200 inch whitetails and should they find one and put him on the wall, their excitement over taking a 100 inch 8 point still would not diminish. There is nothing wrong with achievement chasers who consistently bag bigger and bigger bucks, but I wouldn’t automatically put them in the company of the best hunters I know.

The best men of faith that I know would take umbrage with me even calling them the best because it puts them on a pedestal of righteousness that they know they did not earn, but they are righteous nonetheless. They are humble men, oriented towards the needs of others. They hold the truth of God close to their hearts and walk with quiet confidence as they trust in His provision. They are the ones who adhere to Christ when he says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments (John 14:15).” These men hold influence and many have achieved great things, but not because they sought to do so. They merely pursued obedience through that long steady walk.

I want to be like these men, but I fear my youthful ambition urges me towards the fast track that bypasses steady growth and reliance on Christ. I still find myself craving achievement and recognition. Again, the best I know care for neither, though they may possess both. Perhaps I will learn to measure advancement through the number of steps and where those steps land, instead of how big and how far those steps got me. I pray the Lord will channel this zealous heart of mine towards faithful walking that spends more time looking at the trees and less time wondering what lies beyond. More time seeking Him than where He wants me to go. More time loving others than hungering for elevation of self.

If it be His will, over time I may gain the beyond and more, but it will all have been a gift, an act of mercy and grace, not a mere achievement.