We all need mentors and I have been blessed to have quality mentors along the way. Pastor Dennis Watson (Celebration Church in New Orleans) is one mentor that has made a lasting impact on my life. Recently he shared some thoughts about excellence that I think we will benefit from...
Excellence is not perfectionism, status seeking or trying to outdo, outshine and outperform everyone else. Excellence is exhibiting quality and integrity in everything we do. It is always giving our best for the Lord in order to please and honor Him. Paul wrote in Colossians 1:10, “Live a life worthy of the Lord and . . . please Him in every way, bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.” That’s what excellence is all about, and a commitment to excellence encourages and helps people, and it is also a powerful act of worship (Romans 12:1). Daniel 6:3 reads, “Daniel so distinguished himself . . . by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him before the whole kingdom.” Daniel’s commitment to excellence honored the Lord and drew the affirmation of others (as well as persecution from those who hated God and hated him).
Do you live a life of “excellence?” Would you characterize your work life, your friendships, relationships, or your home life as being filled with quality and integrity? Do you fulfill your Christian and Church responsibilities with excellence and integrity? Christian author Max Lucado said that “the quest for excellence is a mark of maturity,” and Greek philosopher Aristotle said that “quality is not an act; it is a habit of our lives.” That other great philosopher (and baseball player) Willie Mays said it like this: “Almost anybody can be good at what they do once in a while. It’s being good every day that separates the good from the great.”
Whether or not we live a life of excellence is up to us. We’ve all been given gifts, talents and abilities from God to enable us to fulfill our purpose(s) in life. But we have to choose to utilize what the Lord has given to us to live an excellent life. We are the only ones who can commit to excel at who we are, where we are, with what we have, and while we can. I pray that all of us will desire to be everything God has called us to be, so that we can do everything He has called us to do. When that is our desire and commitment, one day we will be able to hear the Lord say: “Well done good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things. I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of the Lord.” (Matthew 25:21)
Thank you Pastor Dennis for sharing these thoughts. Fellowship Church, may we strive to be spiritually excellent in all we do!
Loving and Leading,
Jeff Powell
