"Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15

Monday, October 21, 2013

Commitment to.....

“I’m decidedly sold on committing to excellence.”

I just read this, and I totally agree with it. 

My new commitment.

To Excellence.

In Parenting.

In Character.

In Relationships.

In my Life Group.

In Work.

In Play.
 
I won’t even remotely consider perfection, because that is something I am not about.

Excellence. 

Absolutely.


Perfection. No.


Okay, maybe possibly. But realistically, most likely, No.

Perfection means I’m already done. 

Finished. Finito. 

And if you know me at all, you know I’m not. 

No, I’m neither perfect or finished.






I am definitely a work in progress. Definitely God’s work. Always striving for better. For Excellence. Pour l'excellence.

When thinking about something, especially excellence, I am compelled to go to the Word of God, the Ultimate source of Wisdom. 

What does God have to say about living my life excellently? 

With excellence?
 



Ecclesiastes 9:10 Whatever your hand finds to do, verily, do it with all your might

Philippians 1:9-10 And this I pray, that your love may abound (i.e., excel) still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; 11 having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. (NET)

1 Thessalonians 4:1 Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that, as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you may excel still more. (NASB)

1 Thessalonians 4:10 for indeed you do practice it (love) toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more (NASB)

1 Corinthians 10:31 So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. (NET)



Oh my goodness! There are many more examples, but these were just a few I found.


So…….

What exactly does all this mean?
  


To excel?

To be excellent.

To live in excellence?






I think Joel Osteen said it best when he said, “People of excellence go the extra mile to do what’s right.”

Yup, that’s it. 

Exactly.
Always, always, always going the extra mile to do what’s right.

Not to be politically correct. 

Not to follow the crowd. 

Not to necessarily do the easiest, most common, most compelling thing.

Nope. 

To do the RIGHT thing.

 








Instead of just tossing a $5 bill in the bucket of a homeless person, go the extra mile…..

•Take him out for a meal. Talk. Learn about him. Encourage him.










         




--Instead of going to church on Sunday and parking in the best, closest parking spot available, go the extra mile……

          •Park further away and leave that spot for a newcomer. An unbeliever.














--Instead of serving at a homeless shelter or soup kitchen on holidays, go the extra mile…..

        •Serve throughout the year and save the holiday serving for those that can’t serve otherwise.




--Instead of just visiting a friend or relative in the hospital, go the extra mile……

        •Ask a nurse who hasn’t had any visitors, and then go visit that person. Play a game of cards with that person. Read the Word of God. Become interested.




  

--When your spouse arrives home from work, instead of telling him of everything that went wrong that day, go the extra mile…….

        •Let him unwind. Let him eat. And encourage him first.







--When confronted with a strong personality who tramples on your spirit or feelings, go the extra mile……

        •Hear that person out. Offer encouragement. Apologize, if necessary. And forgive. I’ll say that two times. And forgive.
Instead of only seeing things in the context of how they affect you, your children, and your life, go the extra mile……

        •Look at things in the context of how they affect others. And then act accordingly.





•You may not agree with a young girl being pregnant out of wedlock, but offer to throw her a baby shower anyway. 

•You may not feel like inviting your in-laws over for the holidays, but they may not have anywhere else to go.

•You may not want to take the trash out at midnight because your husband or child forgot to, but do it anyway. Show them grace.

  





Remember the widowed and orphaned. 

•Take your elderly neighbor a cup of coffee and a good book.








•Offer to babysit the single mom’s children so she may go somewhere



•Invite a single parent family over for the holidays.







•Offer to read a book to a blind person.




Or, as Israelmore Avivor said, “ When God calls you to build 100 castles on earth, and you built the 98th. Take the 99th as if it’s the beginning of your work, and work hard to finish the race with excellence. Go the extra mile!"



Oh my goodness, and the list goes on.

And on.

I think you have the picture by now.



And yet, isn’t that what Christianity has always been about?

                                               Since the beginning of time 
  







Didn’t Jesus set the best example for us to follow?

As Christ followers, aren’t we supposed to emulate Him in all things?

Whoops. I’m nearly 51 years old, and I am just now committing to excellence?

Well, although I may not have the best timing, God does.

 He knows. 

My heart. 

My desires.

 My past. 

My present. 

And yes, He even knows my future.






He knows at times in my life, I may have acted excellently, but now is 
my time to commit to excellence.








Madeline Bridges said, 

“Committing to excellence is not an act, it’s an attitude.”

Given the current state of affairs in our country, we must be the ones to 

redefine the standards of excellence. 

We must reset the tides of ‘just enough’ and ‘almost’ and commit to excellence.
 
How do we do it?






We quit doing less-than-excellent work. 

We quit thinking less-than-excellent thoughts. 

We quit reading less-than-excellent books. 

And….

We quit watching anything that is less-than-excellent.

Let’s get this going. 

Now!