You often hear the word “better” tossed around in daily life: “things get better with time,” “better safe than sorry,” “better late than never,” “we can build a better world,” “for better or for worse,” “my emotions got the better of me,” or even, “Dr. Pepper is better than Mr. Pibb.” 

But when you turn to Scripture, you quickly discover that God’s use of “better” runs counter to ours. What we call “better” is often shallow, temporary, or even distorted. God’s “better” speaks to truth, wisdom, holiness, and eternal realities. And that difference must remain crystal clear. 

This past Sunday, we learned what God teaches about His fifth commandment: "Honor your father and mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which Yahweh your God gives you" (Exodus 20:12). One of the truths we know by Scripture and experience is how honor will be resisted by sinful hearts and it must be continuously cultivated. Sadly, this honor in the home is not always mutually experienced and enjoyed and results in sorrow and brokenness in some of our closest relationships. 

“Busy.” It may be the most common response we hear—and give—when someone asks, “How are you?” “I’m swamped.” “Overloaded.” “Maxed out.” “Slammed.” “Stretched thin.” We say we’re running on fumes, spinning plates, burning the candle at both ends, or caught in the rat race.

One of the important lessons we need to learn about living the Christian life is maintaining an eternal perspective in the midst of horizontal life that is always full of distraction and trials.

I ran across a story that reminds us how important perspective can be. A college student wrote the following letter to her parents:

One of the many remarkable virtues our Lord and Savior radiates is compassion. He teaches us so much about the display of His compassion throughout the gospel accounts. 

In Mark 6:33–44, we see a powerful glimpse of the compassionate heart of Jesus. After a time of hard ministry (healing, preaching, rejection, fickle crowds, Herod Antipas feeling threatened, John the Baptist’s death), Jesus invites His disciples to retreat and rest (Mark 6:30–33). But as they withdraw by boat, the crowds anticipate His movements and arrive ahead of Him on foot. 

When you hear the word “bold,” what person in the New Testament most comes to mind? Next to Jesus Christ, it would have to be Paul the Apostle. He appeared fearless in his ministry. He said he was “unashamed of the gospel” (Rom. 1:16), and his “earnest expectation and hope” would be that he would “not be put to shame in anything, but with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body” (Phil. 1:20). He proclaimed the gospel to hostile religious leaders, kings, governors, and antagonistic Jews, among others.