Google the best way to get to Kroger or the best way to cook Lima beans, and you're liable to come up with at least a dozen different answers. Do you want to avoid tolls or wear and tear on your brakes? Do you like your veggies al dente or super buttery? "Best" seems to be a matter of opinion. Was it always this way? "Best" seemed pretty cut-and-dried in the past. The blue ribbon went to the best pie in the county; a single team was awarded the honor of being the best team in the league. But with the world's population and its opinions expanding well into the billions, the removal of distance and obstacles via the internet, and, I think, the inclination for us to mollify those who may not be the best but sure gave it the effort, Best is a lot more difficult to pinpoint. Look at the latest controversy over awards shows. Do we recognize the artist who lives a life more in keeping with the essence of the art? Do we recognize the artist with the greatest number of downloads? Do we recognize the artist whose work had the greatest impact for good? What determines and defines "Best"?
Best can get a little more complicated when we factor in those things which certainly don't feel the best or, maybe, don't start out to be very good at all. Time goes by, and we come to know that traffic delay kept us from walking in on our friends as they frantically put the last joyous details of our party in place. Surprise! Best. The nearby hospital that closes down, taking its abortion business with it. Best. Our dysfunctional upbringing that prepares us to adopt a great kid with a desire to shed her dysfunctional beginnings. Best.
But Best and all of its subjectivity is not the same as "Only." In fact, "Only" is probably much more difficult to identify in today's world. Did I mention the world's population in the billions?
John 17:3 says:
And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is the Only true God. Not the best, the Only. He possesses an exclusivity no one or no thing can possess. All are free to deny it --like denying my blackberry pie deserves the blue ribbon or denying a layoff "worked out for the best." We are free to say there are many paths to heaven or utopia or whatever, that God is not the only one worthy of our worship. Denying He is Only, however, does not make it any less true; it does not make God any less Only. Scripture says every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. If that's true, and I believe it is, we will know for sure. One day we will come to the realization that God is God and there is no other. He is Only. It is His Only-ness that makes Him the Best: He is superlative and exclusive, greatest and without rival, Best in His category and Only in His category.
And for us, it is best we worship Him only. No matter how you like your lima beans.
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