Glen Campbell’s song, Less of Me, always speaks to me at some point each year, reminding me of some simple things. I sing the song most Sunday mornings as I play my guitar as a sort of worship time. Singing it recently, one line stood out: “Let me serve a little better those that I am striving for.”

When you strive for something, and it usually is some thing: a promotion, a skill, a recipe baked to perfection, you expend a lot of effort toward that goal.

You battle against all opposition, struggle with any resistance, sweat bullets to reach the top of the mountain. But what does it look like to strive for someone? Who am I striving for? I can certainly name individuals. I can list groups of people: family, students, underdogs of all kinds.

It is an epic battle, struggle, and strain because so many obstacles fall into their paths. But the song reminds me that I can just keep moving to serve a little better, to be a little kinder, a little braver, a little meeker, a little bit more cheery, and to praise a little more.