The Best You Can

One of my favorite bands growing up was Radiohead.

They have a song called Optimistic (incredible live recording HERE).

Musically, it’s moody and intense and layered and weird in all the best ways.

But the line that always stuck with me was simple:

“You can try the best you can.

You can try the best you can.

The best you can is good enough.”

That lyric has followed me for years.

Not because it gives permission to be lazy.

Not because it says effort doesn’t matter.

But because life is hard.

People are complicated.

And sometimes just trying to be decent in this world feels like swimming upstream.

Growing up, my mom used to tell us something constantly:

“If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”

Straight from Bambi.

Simple kid wisdom.

But honestly?

There’s something deeply true about it.

Because words matter.

The way we talk to people matters.

The way we talk about people matters.

The way we talk to ourselves matters too.

As a kid, I think that lesson planted something in me early: 

Be kind.

Don’t humiliate people.

Don’t crush people just because you can.

Treat people how you’d want to be treated.

As I got older, that simple childhood lesson slowly matured into something deeper and more biblical.

Jesus said:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind… and love your neighbor as yourself.”

And honestly?

I’m still trying to figure out what that fully means.

Not theoretically. Practically.

What does it actually look like to love God with your whole life?

Because it sounds beautiful… until real life starts happening.

• Bills.

• Phones.

• Notifications.

• Stress.

• Exhaustion.

• Work.

• Kids.

• Injuries.

• Anxiety.

• Distraction.

• Algorithms.

• Noise. Lots of noise.

You wake up with good intentions, and before you know it, your attention has been pulled in fifty different directions.

So when Scripture talks about giving God your “first fruits” or your best first… I feel that deeply.

Not from a place of guilt.

But from a place of honesty.

I’m still learning how to do that.

Still learning how to give God the best first instead of the leftovers.

The first attention.

The first gratitude.

The first moments of the morning.

The first thoughts before the noise enters.

And I fail at it constantly.

But I keep trying.

Maybe that’s part of the whole thing.

Trying.

Trying to love people better.

Trying to become slower to anger.

Trying to become less reactive.

Trying to be more present with my kids.

Trying to become more patient.

Trying to become more forgiving.

Trying to become less cynical in a world that rewards cynicism.

Trying to give people grace.

Because the older I get, the more I realize: Most people are carrying something heavy you can’t see.

And honestly… most people are just trying the best they can.

Some people are exhausted.

Some are grieving.

Some are anxious.

Some are lonely.

Some are overwhelmed.

Some are silently hanging on by a thread.

So maybe kindness matters more than we realize.

Not fake kindness.

Not performative internet kindness.

Real kindness.

• Eye contact.

• Patience.

• Listening.

• Encouragement.

• Gentleness.

• Forgiveness.

• Mercy.

Giving people the benefit of the doubt.

The Golden Rule still matters.

Treat people the way you want to be treated.

Simple.

Difficult.

Timeless.

And maybe that’s part of following God too.

Not just theology.

Not just knowledge.

Not just arguing online.

But becoming the kind of person who actually reflects love.

Not perfectly.

But sincerely.

And maybe that’s where that old Optimistic lyric still hits me after all these years:

“You can try the best you can.

The best you can is good enough.”

Maybe God honors sincere effort more than polished perfection.

Maybe there’s something holy about continuing to try.

Trying to love Him better.

Trying to love people better.

Trying to become softer instead of harder.

Trying to stay kind in a culture that often rewards cruelty.

Maybe that effort itself matters.

And maybe, despite all our flaws, distractions, and imperfections...there’s grace in the trying.