“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?
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?
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!
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