"God deserves the best from us"
About this Quote
"God deserves the best from us" is a neat little sentence that does two big things at once: it raises the ceiling on devotion while quietly lowering the room for excuses. Coming from Michael W. Smith, a cornerstone of contemporary Christian music, it lands less like theology and more like a chorus line you can build a life around. It’s designed to be repeatable, memorizable, and, crucially, actionable.
The intent is motivational, but the subtext is a moral redirect. “Deserves” frames faith not as a private comfort or a spiritual hobby, but as an obligation owed. It shifts the believer from consumer to contributor: you don’t show up to God for what you can get; you show up with what you can give. That’s a potent move in a culture that often treats religion as self-care with a soundtrack.
Context matters here. CCM has long wrestled with the tension between artistry and worship, excellence and humility, performance and sincerity. Smith’s career sits right on that fault line: polished production, stadium-scale emotion, and lyrics meant to function as prayer. “The best” can mean your attention, your ethics, your craft, your time, your money. It sanctifies effort and professionalism, implicitly pushing back against the idea that “good enough” is spiritually sufficient.
It also carries a gentle edge: if God is owed your best, then mediocrity isn’t neutral - it’s a choice. That pressure can inspire, and it can burden. The quote works because it’s both invitation and accountability, delivered in the plain language of a hook that won’t leave your head.
The intent is motivational, but the subtext is a moral redirect. “Deserves” frames faith not as a private comfort or a spiritual hobby, but as an obligation owed. It shifts the believer from consumer to contributor: you don’t show up to God for what you can get; you show up with what you can give. That’s a potent move in a culture that often treats religion as self-care with a soundtrack.
Context matters here. CCM has long wrestled with the tension between artistry and worship, excellence and humility, performance and sincerity. Smith’s career sits right on that fault line: polished production, stadium-scale emotion, and lyrics meant to function as prayer. “The best” can mean your attention, your ethics, your craft, your time, your money. It sanctifies effort and professionalism, implicitly pushing back against the idea that “good enough” is spiritually sufficient.
It also carries a gentle edge: if God is owed your best, then mediocrity isn’t neutral - it’s a choice. That pressure can inspire, and it can burden. The quote works because it’s both invitation and accountability, delivered in the plain language of a hook that won’t leave your head.
Quote Details
| Topic | God |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Smith, Michael W. (2026, January 16). God deserves the best from us. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/god-deserves-the-best-from-us-97471/
Chicago Style
Smith, Michael W. "God deserves the best from us." FixQuotes. January 16, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/god-deserves-the-best-from-us-97471/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"God deserves the best from us." FixQuotes, 16 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/god-deserves-the-best-from-us-97471/. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
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