BETTER THAN THE BEST By Jeannette Haley

Most likely, if given a choice between best or mediocre, we would all choose the best. And why not? Who, in their right mind, would choose an old beater over a brand-new vehicle, or who would choose to live in a run-down, leaky shack instead of a beautiful, well-built home, complete with professional landscaping and a grand view? And, who wouldn’t be happy to trade in their old, faded, outdated clothing for a whole new wardrobe? In addition, who wouldn’t eagerly accept a million dollars if it was offered to them instead of, let’s just say, a thousand dollars? Choosing what is better than the best in such circumstances is just plain common sense.

We can’t assume, however, that everybody wants to exchange the best for what is far better when it comes to certain aspects of our unique and personal makeup. For example, consider our five senses and keep in mind that all five have corresponding spiritual applications. What we choose to prefer when it comes to physical taste, hearing, sight, touch and smell often depends on what we’re used to or what we’ve been conditioned to prefer. For example, many people, and unfortunately, most children, would rather live on junk food than nutritious meals because their taste buds find satisfaction in it even though every cell in their body is crying out for necessary minerals, vitamins and life-giving nutrition. In their minds, what they are used to eating is, as far as their tastebuds are concerned, the “best” and they have no appetite for what is better even if Mom heaps real food onto their plate and threatens them with dire consequences if they don’t eat it. It’s all a matter of personal taste, and often convenience in spite of nutritional facts concerning good health. A sense of taste must be developed through thoughtful experimentation, and as such, one develops an appreciation for the subtle nuances of sweet, sour, salty, savory, hot or bitter. Whichever is better than the best is up to the individual taste.

First, when it comes to taste, what is spiritually better than the best? King David wrote in Psalm 34:8, “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” In order to “taste” that the LORD is “good,” we must first trust in him. Physically, even if our food smells good, in order to find out how good and satisfying it is we must first open our mouth and taste it. In Hebrews 6:4, 5 we read “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance….”. And the Apostle Peter admonished, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious” 1 Peter 2:2.

Consider what Jesus said when He made a comparison between physical food and spiritual food. He said, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” Matthew 4:4. In John 6:48 Jesus said, “I am that bread of life.” King David wrote in Psalm 34:8, “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” The Apostle Paul wrote, concerning that which is better, “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost” Romans 14:17. Even though the “best” or most “Kosher” food can only temporarily satisfy the most discerning culinary taste, that which is spiritually “better” can promise eternal fulfillment and satisfaction to the soul. Jeremiah declared, “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts” Jeremiah 15:16. Job said, “… I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food” Job 23:12b.

As for hearing, especially when it comes to music, it wouldn’t take much to start a major war over which is good and which is bad, let alone which is better than the best. Music, as with food, is an acquired taste and our preferences are normally deeply ingrained in us from childhood. Music is a powerful tool that can deeply influence the heart and soul of man, as God, Satan and all mankind know. Satan is familiar with the music of heaven which is pure worship, holy, inspiring and influential in drawing the hearts of people upward and away from the drudgery and dead drumbeats of this fallen world. Music has the power to captivate or capture, depending on the source from whence it comes. Volumes could be, and have been, written concerning music and the inspiration behind it, whether the source originated from heaven, the world, or hell. Tragically, music, for the most part, has taken a downturn from appreciation for the best to a major repudiation for what is better, which is, of course, music inspired in the courts of heaven and imparted by the Holy Spirit. There is a genuine growing preference in music for the fleshly, addictive, “down and dirty” (drugs, sex and rebellion) rather than for the “delightfully divine.”

Granted there have been great musical compositions written, and innumerable beautiful songs of the heart penned throughout the years, many of which are, to our finite minds, the very “best.” So, where can we find better, at least in lyrics? The “better” is preserved forever in the Word of God. For example, the song of Moses in Exodus 15:1-19 and Miriam’s song in verses 20, 21. There is the song of Deborah and Barak as recorded in Judges 5 which begins, “Praise ye the LORD”. And who can forget the “better than the best” of ancient music recorded in the Psalms (songs) of King David?

Of course, the melodies have been lost and silenced by time and only the lyrics are known to us, but, who, knowing the holy nature of these sacred songs, and also the hymnody of more recent times, would dare to conclude that bongo drums and other forms of paganized music, including jazz, heavy metal, rock n’ roll and so forth is God honoring, even if religious lyrics are used? Of course not, because the spirit behind it is wrong and it is powerful in leading the heart astray from that which is better than the best—holiness to the Lord. But the most important thing we can ever hear is the Word of God, for “…faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” Romans 10:17.

When it comes to sight, what is the “best” that we can see? For some, it’s what is staring back at them in the mirror. Of course, there are the faces of loved ones, and that often includes pets. What could be better than the grandeur of creation, the vastness of a clear night sky filled with countless stars, the vastness of the oceans, or the grandeur of towering mountain peaks, lakes, rivers, streams, the amazing forests filled with flora and fauna. These things may be the “best” one can find on earth, but amazingly it’s not “better.” Tragically, Satan has his sordid display of gruesome demonic and perverted images that human eyes should never see or desire to see. He knows how to tempt mankind to behold the horrors of hell and death, burning the images of unspeakable evil into his soul, while beguiling him to draw ever closer to eternal damnation and destruction. Nevertheless, in all of this, mankind has the power to choose that which is better.

Again, we must go to the Word to find instruction as to what our eyes should avoid looking at along with what we should be focusing on. Let us remember the example of Eve. “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat” Genesis 3:6. Job declared, “I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid” Job 31:1. Job knew what we all, who love the LORD Jesus Christ should know and believe and choose when it comes to the better of the best our eyes can behold. He said, “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me” Job 19:25-27. We are promised “better than the best” in 1 John 3:2 which tells us, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”

Think about the sense of touch. We are either touching and feeling, or being touched. How often do we stop to think about the importance of touch? It is part of our existence from birth to death. Touch can be therapeutic, such as stroking the soft fur of a beloved pet, holding a new life in your arms, getting or giving a massage, embracing a person in need, holding someone’s hand through a hard situation. What kind of creatures would we be if God had not given us the ability to reach out and touch? Yet, we all know that some use the power of touch to abuse and hurt. May it never be so with God’s children.

Needless to say, touch is vitally important as we live our lives on this plane, but the better than the best touch is the spiritual touch of the Lord. When Jesus walked this earth, He touched and healed so many people that there is no recorded sum total of His miracles. Is He touching people today? The answer is yes, He is, through the power of the Holy Spirit and the Living Word.

Finally, there is the sense of smell. If you’re a cook, you know how necessary a sense of smell is. Just think how many things in your kitchen tantalizes your sense of smell! Herbs and spices, fresh baked goods, savory meats, brewed coffee and the list is endless. Your sense of smell also can alert you if your leftovers have gone bad, or if you or your dog need a bath. (Ever think of that?) In addition, there is nothing as wonderful as the odors that nature provides—the smell of the sea, the fragrance of flowers and forest, or the smell in the air after a fresh rain. And if you love real perfume, or essential oils, you know what a blessing your sense of smell is. How anyone could adjust to living by a garbage dump, a stockyard, or a sulfuric-smelling factory is beyond me, but again, it’s sometimes a matter of what a person is used to, such as sin which is a stench to God. (See Ecclesiastes 10:1).

But praise the LORD for the better than the best is the fragrance of Christ, “Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee.” A bundle of myrrh is my wellbeloved unto me” Song of Solomon 1:13a. In Psalm 45:8 we read, “All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad.” As believers, we can choose to be a sweet fragrance to God if we abide in Him. “For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things” 1 Corinthians 1:15, 16?

In the course of life, we tend to take our five senses for granted. After all, we’re born with them and we’ve always depended on them, and until we begin to lose some of them, or they are taken away completely, we don’t stop to consider what a great God we serve and how He has blessed us so much and we wonder what could possibly be better? This is where, if we allow the Word and the Holy Spirit to lead us beyond our physical senses and into the spiritual realm, He can give us the answer to that question. “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches…”. (Revelation 2 & 3).

Are you listening?