THE POISONS OF “DO” & “BETTER”

“Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,” says the LORD Almighty.

—Zechariah 4:6

Do: we know better than do, of course. We know that words like “be,” and “become,” and “try,” are a little less crushing and cruel, spiritually and psychologically, a little friendlier to the soul. But when we’re alone sometimes and the list is getting the best of us, we abandon all those sweet ideas, and we go straight to do, because do is power, push, aggression, plain old sweat equity. It’s not pretty, but we know that do gets the job done.

Better is a seductress. It’s so delicious to run after better, better, better. Better is what keeps some women decorating and redecorating the same house for years on end, because by the time you get the last detail of the finished basement home theater just right, your countertops are ever so slightly outdated, and so you start again. Better is what makes us go to a spinning class—or maybe two, or three today. Better is what makes us get “just a little work done,” after the last baby, or just to look a little bit fresher and more well-rested. Better is a force.